Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer – Precision Metrology

Location: Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Type:
Posted: Aug 19, 2026
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This role is centered on delivering high performance mechanical subsystems — from concept to detailed design, prototyping, integration, and validation. You will work hands-on with complex mechanisms such as precision stages, sensor modules, flexure-based architectures, dynamic structures, and ultra stable reference frames. Working in a multidisciplinary team, you’ll ensure that your designs meet demanding performance targets in stiffness, dynamics, thermal stability, accuracy, and reliability.

If you enjoy solving complex mechanical challenges and turning cutting edge concepts into working hardware, this role is for you.

Key Responsibilities

  • Design and deliver precision mechanical subsystems including stages, flexure mechanisms, kinematic interfaces, sensor modules, thermalstabilized structures, and nanopositioning components.

  • Analyze and optimize system performance using structural dynamics, vibration analysis, stiffness modeling, thermal modeling, and tolerance management.

  • Develop mechanical concepts that support high throughput, high stability, and nanometerlevel measurement accuracy.

  • Own mechanical work packages endtoend, from concept development and FEA validation to supplier engagement, prototyping, and integration in NFI’s metrology tools.

  • Collaborate closely with mechatronics, controls, electronics, and systems engineering to ensure mechanical designs support full systemlevel performance.

  • Support system integration and troubleshooting, resolving complex mechanical challenges through hands-on testing and rootcause analysis.

  • Work with manufacturing, suppliers, and assembly teams to ensure your designs are buildable, repeatable, and cleanroomready.

  • Contribute to team ways of working by sharing lessons learned and helping develop sustainable engineering practices. You take the lead in design desicisions and mentoring others in the team.

Required Qualifications

  • Master’s or bachelor’s degree in Mechanical engineering, Precision Engineering, Mechatronics, Microsystems, or a related discipline.

  • Strong proven experience (6+ years) designing precision mechanisms and high-performance mechanical systems.

  • Solid 3D CAD skills (SolidWorks preferred) for complex assemblies and intricate mechanism design.

  • Deep understanding of structural dynamics, stiffness design, vibration behavior, thermal effects, and fine tolerance engineering.

  • Handson experience with FEA tools for static, dynamic, and thermal analysis.

  • Strong analytical thinking and a systematic approach to solving physical/mechanical problems.

  • Comfortable working in multidisciplinary teams and supporting integration activities at the hardware level.

  • Clear communication skills and strong engineering documentation discipline.

  • Experience in semiconductor equipment, precision instruments, highend mechatronics, robotics, or industrial metrology systems.

Bonus Qualifications

  • Understanding of metrology principles, sensor integration, nanopositioning, or interferometry.

  • Familiarity with system requirements such as drift, noise, thermal stability, and cleanroom constraints.

  • Experience with tighttolerance assemblies, precision manufacturing, or vacuum/contaminationsensitive hardware.

  • Proven ability to take designs from prototype to pilot builds and into productionready modules.

Apply for the job

If the above challenges excites you, we encourage you to send us your details using the Apply now button on our career site.

Our recruitment process:

  • Screening by Recruiter

  • 1st interview with the Team Lead

  • Assignment

  • 2nd interview

  • Offer and reference check

  • Interview with CEO

  • Onboarding and welcome at Nearfield Instruments!

Recruitment, consultancy and/or other agency?

We appreciate the interest, but we source all our candidates directly. We understand that you as an intermediary want to present candidates to our interesting positions. This is not how we have structured our recruitment.

This means that all profiles offered to Nearfield Instruments will be treated as direct applications. Unless we have explicitly agreed otherwise.

About the Company

Name: nearfieldinstruments1
Location: Rotterdam HQ

We bring together the most creative minds in science and technology to develop a revolutionary high throughput 3D Scanning Probe Metrology system, enabling atom-scale resolution 3D metrology at unrivaled throughput. We design, develop, integrate, market and service these advanced metrology machines.

Our team of engineers and scientists work together to solve the toughest challenges, enabling atomic-scale precision and 3D process control at industry-level speed.

Are you ready to impact the future?

Our story

Discover how our founders explain our vision and technology to push the boundaries of semiconductor metrology.

Life at Nearfield Instruments (NFI)

At NFI, we believe that great innovation comes from people who are empowered, curious, and collaborative. We value people who take ownership, think boldly, and bring energy and fun to everything they do.

Our Core Values

  • Lead, not follow
  • Open and honest
  • Empowerment and trust
  • Passion and determination
  • Fun and open-minded
  • To boldly go

Join us and be part of a team where your ideas, creativity, and commitment make a real impact every day.

Diversity at NFI

Those most creative minds in science and technology come from everywhere. Representing over 44 different cultures makes Nearfield Instruments a richly international, fun and diverse work environment where respect for the individual is key. Our people bring variety in their backgrounds, point of view and ideas. We encourage everyone to be their original, authentic and best selves.

At NFI we rely on each other’s qualities, capabilities and we motivate one another to get the best out of ourselves and each other. We are here to support, and colleagues are there to help you. TEAM is very important, Together Everyone Achieves More.

Benefits*

  • Competitive salary
  • 30 Holidays
  • Pension plan
  • Holiday allowance
  • Commuting allowance
  • Innovation with passion
  • Growing together
  • Travel the world

*The above benefits apply exclusively to colleagues on our Netherlands payroll who are based in the Netherlands. For benefits applicable outside the Netherlands, please discuss this during the recruitment process.

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