Scientist, NanoIR (Materials Characterization)

Company Description

Eurofins EAG Laboratories has over 40 years experience in engineering and materials testing services. Our parent company, Eurofins Scientific, is a multi-billion-dollar global leader in engineering and scientific services operating over 950 labs in 60 countries with 65,000 employees with a portfolio of over 200,000 validated analytical methods. 

At EAG, curiosity fuels everything we do. Every analysis, every test, and every question asked in our labs helps unlock what materials and products are capable of—and what the world can build next. If you’re energized by materials science, analytical chemistry, engineering rigor, and solving problems that matter, you’ll feel right at home here.

Every analysis, every test, and every question asked in our labs helps unlock what materials and products are capable of—and what the world can build next. If you’re energized by materials science, analytical chemistry, and engineering rigor, you’ll feel right at home here.

Our scientists and engineers support industries ranging from semiconductors and advanced electronics to pharmaceuticals, medical devices, energy systems, and consumer products. Using advanced techniques in analytical chemistry, microscopy, surface analysis, and engineering sciences, we help clients solve complex challenges across the product lifecycle.

What sets EAG apart isn’t just our world‑class instrumentation—it’s our people. We’re problem solvers, collaborators, and lifelong learners who value precision, curiosity, and impact. Here, your work directly influences the safety, reliability, and performance of products used around the globe.

Imagine the possibilities. Let’s explore them together.

Job Description

EAG Laboratories is looking for a Scientist with expertise in NanoIR to join our Sunnyvale, CA team. Our clients include leading edge technology companies, consumer product manufacturers, aerospace suppliers all working in the early phases of product development. Come and join a work environment where you will engage in peer-to-peer interaction to discuss and comprehensively understand client challenges, define the problems, develop and execute analyses. 

 A Scientist in our Materials Characterization group is responsible for operating analytical equipment such as NanoIR, FTIR, Raman, AFM and GCMS instrumentation.

We are particularly interested in people with extensive (multi-year) hands-on experience with: 

Bruker Icon NanoIR (Nanoscale Infrared or any type of AFM based vibrational spectroscopy)
FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy - particularly Thermo/Nicolet, or any type)
Raman (JY Horiba preferred)
AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy - any type)

We are looking for scientists who are very comfortable with all stages of the analytical process: experimental design, preparing samples, acquiring data, interpreting spectra, writing reports and showing true insight into the meaning of the data acquired. This position requires a solid technical foundation in materials science and/or analytical chemistry. 

A typical day in the Organic team will consist of multiple activities and interactions, including: 

1. Writing reports and processing previously acquired data. 
2. Planning upcoming analyses. 
3. Setting up the instruments and acquiring new data. 

In parallel with that, you may also have other activities: 

1. Internal group meetings to plan overall use of the instruments to meet client deadlines. 
2. Requests from customers to discuss prior reports or they may have questions about future analyses. 
3. Meetings with the EAG commercial team (which may also include customers) to discuss analyses and how we can help solve customers’ problems. 

You will also likely have longer-term projects, such as: 

1. Developing new analysis methods for new materials. 
2. Producing marketing materials or writing a paper. 
3. Working with our support team or vendors on fine tuning our instruments. 
4. Learning another adjacent technique or other training goals. 

These activities require extensive communication and collaboration with your colleagues. You’ll be learning to do a lot of things at once to keep multiple projects all moving forwards and keeping the team updated. It’s a fast-moving job and we all like to share the load so helping other people in the team, and also being helped by them is part of what we do, in order to collectively help our clients meet their goals. Along the way you’ll do a lot of science too! 

Qualifications

This position works with companies that deal with defense-related activities and is subject to ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations). All accepted applicants must be U.S. Persons as defined by ITAR:

1. U.S. Citizen
2. U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. “Green Card Holder”)
3. Political Asylee or Refugee

Education and Experience: 

• MS or PhD degree in Chemistry, Physics or Materials Science with 1 or more years of industrial experience preferred. 

Job Knowledge, Skills, and Ability: 

• Extensive hands-on experience with AFM based vibrational spectroscopy is an absolute requirement to qualify for this position
• Independently acquire and successfully interpret NanoIR, FTIR and AFM analytical data and apply understanding of the data to solve specific customer related problems.
• Ability to interpret and understand infrared vibrational spectra.
• Design analytical protocols with minimal assistance from other experienced scientists. 
• Demonstrate competency with laboratory work and use of relevant analytical instrumentation. 
• Write scientific reports that include conclusions, methodology, and supporting analytical data. 
• Knowledge/experience in other surface analysis techniques is a strong plus, but is not essential, e.g. Raman Spectroscopy, XPS (X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) or TOF-SIMS (Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry). 
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with firm deadlines. 
• Help maintain analytical instrumentation and troubleshoot problems when necessary. 
• Understand and write standard operating procedures and demonstrate the ability to follow procedures. 
• Able to communicate constructively with other scientists, EAG team members and customers. 
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Including Excel, Word, Outlook, etc.).

What would set you apart: 

• Extensive experience operating, acquiring data and interpreting data using a Bruker Icon NanoIR instrument.

Physical Requirements:

• The person in this position needs to move about inside the office or laboratory to access file cabinets, machinery, equipment etc.
• Ability to continuously operate a personal computer or lab equipment for extended periods of time (4 or more hours).
• Physical dexterity sufficient to use hands, arms, and shoulders repetitively to operate a keyboard and other lab equipment, use a telephone, access file cabinets and other items stored at various levels, including overhead.   
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 90% of the time. 
• Ability to speak and hear well enough to communicate clearly and understandably with sufficient volume to ensure an accurate exchange of information in normal conversational distance, over the telephone online, and in a group setting.
• Learn new tasks, remember processes, maintain focus, complete tasks independently, make timely decisions in the context of a workflow, ability to communicate with visitors, ability to complete tasks in situations that have a speed or productivity quota.

The essential physical and mental requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.   

We will consider reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability or special need, we would like to know how we can better accommodate you.                       

Additional Information

Compensation is aligned with market standards for the region and tailored to individual qualifications and experience.

What It’s Like to Work Here:

• Teamwork: Be inspired by your leaders, be encouraged by your teammates and be supported in all parts of your journey while you work with us.
• Learning & Development: Take on career development programs and goal setting to create big possibilities for your career and life. Develop within the company; be mentored and grown as a leader.
• Diversity & Authenticity: We work hard to embrace diversity and inclusion and encourage everyone to bring their authentic selves to work every day.

Benefits & Perks to Foster Work/Life Balance:

✓ Medical, Dental and Vision Coverage

✓ 401k Company Matching

✓ Paid Time Off

✓ Wellness Program

✓ Education Assistance

✓ Volunteer Time Off

✓ …and more!

If you enjoy being immersed in technology, tackling problems head-on, finding solutions through teamwork, and taking pride in accomplishments, join us today!

Eurofins EAG Laboratories is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all of our employment practices. Eurofins EAG Laboratories recruits, hires, trains, promotes and administers all employment-related matters based on an individual's qualifications, abilities, and efforts.  Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, military and/or protected veteran status, and/or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.    

Check out our other opportunities: www.eag.com/about/careers/ 

Eurofins USA Material Sciences is a Disabled and Veteran Equal Employment Opportunity employer.