Engineering Manager

VAT Vakuumventile AG; England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading vacuum technology company in the United Kingdom is looking for an experienced professional to lead regional growth initiatives and manage a team of Field Application Engineers. This role involves driving technical excellence, market expansion, and collaboration with sales teams. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of experience in the vacuum industry, a relevant degree, and strong communication skills. Fluency in German is required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of experience in the vacuum industry.
• Proven experience in customer development and technical sales support.
• Hands-on experience in semiconductor fabrication.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of Field Application Engineers.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration between engineering, sales, and product teams.
• Provide expert technical support for VAT's products.

Skills

Technical sales support

Customer development

Communication skills

Leadership and team management

Business acumen

Education

Degree in Microelectronics, Instrumentation, Applied Optics, or Engineering Physics

Additional qualifications in Business Administration

Job description

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Innovation, Efficiency and Ambition: this is what VAT has stood for over 50 years.

With this passion, VAT has grown to become the leading international developer, manufacturer and supplier of high-performance high-end vacuum valves and vacuum sealing technology, employing over 2000 people worldwide. The headquarters are located in Haag (Switzerland), the production centers in Switzerland, Malaysia, Romania and Taiwan.

Purpose:

Lead and manage regional growth initiatives by coordinating a team of application engineers and collaborating closely with key account managers. Your mission is to deliver innovative solutions to both existing and new VAT customers, driving technical excellence and market expansion.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of Field Application Engineers across the EUand RoW region, fostering technical excellence and customer focus.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration between engineering, sales, and product teams to align regional strategies with global business objectives.
• Provide expert technical support for VAT's products and their applications to enable sales growth across the region.
• Develop and manage technical specifications and strategies for VAT's products.
• Identify and pursue revenue growth opportunities in both VAT core and adjacent markets.
• Support and guide field sales engineers in developing effective account penetration strategies.
• Monitor competitor activities and customer trends, delivering actionable business intelligence to VAT leadership.
• Ensure all customer interactions and insights are accurately documented in the VAT CRM system.
• Actively contribute to the sales pipeline by supporting field sales engineers in customer engagements and opportunity development.

Qualifications

• Minimum8 years of experience in the vacuum industry.
• Degree inMicroelectronics, Instrumentation, Applied Optics, or Engineering Physics (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Dual Degree, or PhD from a top-tier institution).
• Additional qualifications inBusiness Administration or strong business acumen are highly desirable.
• Proven experience incustomer development and technical sales support.
• Hands-on experience insemiconductor fabrication, with detailed knowledge of layer-wise materials, process technologies, and performance optimization.
• Strong communication skills inEnglish (written and spoken); German language proficiency is required.Formal training in negotiation, leadership, and team management is a plus

Our commitment to inclusion, fairness and equal opportunities

We believe in meaningful careers, continuous learning, and equal opportunities for everyone – because diverse perspectives drive our innovation and success.We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are dedicated to creating an inclusive and respectful workplace. If you have concerns, you can use our compliance channel via the VAT website. All reports are handled with strict confidentiality and in accordance with our Code of Conduct .