System Architect - Electrical

Nearfield Instruments; Rotterdam; Hybrid; EUR 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Nearfield Instruments seeks a Lead Electrical Architect to own the Infrastructure, Interlocking and Computing function of its metrology platforms. You will define the electrical architecture, platform roadmaps, and trade‑offs, guiding a team from concept to industrialized systems deployed in leading semiconductor fabs.

You will set direction for electrical design across subsystems, mentor engineers, drive cross‑disciplinary decisions, and ensure compliance with safety and EMC standards while

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, or equivalent.
• 10+ years of experience in electrical system design for complex, high‑precision equipment.
• Ownership of system‑level electrical architectures in industrialized products.
• Experience as a senior, lead, or principal engineer in multidisciplinary environments.

Responsibilities

• Own and actively lead end‑to‑end electrical architecture at system level.
• Set direction for electrical design across subsystems including power distribution, grounding, EMC, sensor interfaces, and control electronics.
• Review and approve electrical designs; establish standards and guidelines.
• Drive integration, validation, and problem solving; ensure regulatory compliance.
• Mentor engineers and architects; grow organizational capability in electrical system design.
• Represent electrical domain in system architecture discussions and external engagements.

Skills

Electrical architecture

EMC

Power integrity

Signal integrity

Safety-critical design

Mechanical interfaces

Software interfaces

Technical leadership

Education

MSc or PhD in Electrical Engineering

Tools

UL design experience

Job description

As Lead Electrical Architect, you are the system owner for the Infrastructure, Interlocking and Computing function of Nearfield Instruments’ metrology platforms. Together with your team, you define the electrical architecture, platform roadmaps, make key technical trade-offs, and ensure robust execution from early concept through industrialized systems deployed at leading semiconductor fabs. You operate as a principal-level engineer: hands‑on where it matters, decisive in design choices, and a technical authority across disciplines.

Responsibilities

Electrical System Ownership

Own and actively lead the end‑to‑end electrical architecture at system level, combining your own architectural input with leadership of architects and engineers to deliver solutions that meet performance, reliability, safety, and manufacturability targets. Translate system requirements into clear electrical concepts, interfaces, and design rules. Drive architectural decisions and resolve cross‑disciplinary trade‑offs.

Technical Leadership & Design Authority

Set direction for electrical design across subsystems including power distribution, grounding, EMC, signal integrity, safety, sensors, actuators, and control electronics. Review, challenge, and approve electrical designs. Establish standards, best practices, and design guidelines and expectations across the organization and our collaborative partners.

Integration, Validation & Problem Solving

Combining input and considerations from the whole organization, assure the cycle time/MTTR/etc targets are met for electrical integration at machine level, and support critical build, test, and bring‑up phases. Take ownership of complex system‑level issues, drive root‑cause analysis, and implement structurally sound solutions. Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and certifications.

Mentorship & Capability Building

Act as the senior technical reference for electrical engineering within NFI. Mentor engineers and architects, elevate technical quality, and grow organizational capability in electrical system design and integration.

Stakeholder & Partner Interaction

Represent the electrical domain in system architecture discussions, project reviews, and external technical engagements. Guide component strategy and supplier interactions where electrical design choices are critical.

Background & Experience

• MSc or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, or equivalent.
• 10+ years of experience in electrical system design for complex, high‑precision equipment (semiconductor tools, metrology systems, advanced instrumentation, robotics, or similar).
• Demonstrated ownership of system‑level electrical architectures brought to industrialized products.
• Experience operating as a senior, lead, or principal engineer in multidisciplinary environments.

Technical Depth

• Strong expertise in electrical system architecture, EMC, power and signal integrity, and safety‑critical design.
• Proven ability to balance performance, risk, cost, and manufacturability at system level.
• Solid understanding of mechanical, mechatronic, and software interfaces.
• Proven Compliance/UL design experience

Personal Profile

• Clear technical authority with strong judgment and decision‑making skills.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and driving solutions in experimental, high‑end engineering environments.
• Direct, structured communicator who aligns teams through technical clarity rather than hierarchy.
• Fluent in English, written and spoken.