Technical Manager (Service and Sales Support)

Korvus Technology designs, manufactures and installs the HEX Platform of modular thin film deposition systems for academic and industrial customers worldwide. With over 20 years of experience in HV and UHV deposition technology, Korvus offers an unmatched level of user control and custom design, incorporating the latest thin film technologies into their PVD platform.

Purpose of the Job

To own and lead the Korvus service function, giving customers a fast, reliable and professional experience across the life of their system, and to use deep technical knowledge of vacuum and PVD systems to support the Sales team in complex, technical customer discussions. The role links what customers experience after the sale with what is promised before it, building the installed base and feeding insight back to Sales and R&D.

Objectives

• Build and run a structured, scalable service operation covering installation support, preventive maintenance, repair, spares and upgrades.
• Maximise customer satisfaction, system uptime and repeat business across the installed base.
• Act as the technical authority in pre-sales discussions on complex or bespoke system configurations, upgrades and service offerings.
• Feed field experience back to R&D to improve product reliability, serviceability and design.

Key Activities and Responsibilities

Service management

• Manage the service team, including engineers and any external or agent-based support, covering scheduling, workload, performance and development.
• Own the service pipeline: fault reporting, triage, remote diagnostics, on-site visits, escalation and closure, with clear response-time targets.
• Maintain accurate service records, installed-base data and system histories in the company CRM/ERP.
• Develop and sell service contracts, preventive maintenance schedules and extended warranty offerings.
• Manage spares stock, forecasting and supplier relationships for service-critical parts.
• Produce and maintain service procedures, installation and test protocols, work instructions and customer-facing documentation.
• Run customer training on operation, maintenance and safe use of vacuum systems.
• Ensure all service activity complies with health and safety requirements, including risk assessments, COSHH, electrical and pressure/vacuum safety, and customer site rules.
• Work with Test & Install and Production to ensure smooth handover from build to installation to ongoing service.
• Track and report service KPIs and costs, and take responsibility for service budget and profitability.

Technical sales support

• Join complex sales discussions with customers and agents, advising on system architecture, sources, pumping, gas handling, control and integration with customer facilities.
• Review customer specifications and tenders, contributing to technical responses, compliance matrices and service/warranty terms.
• Support site surveys, factory acceptance tests and demonstrations, and present convincingly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Translate customer requirements into clear internal technical briefs for R&D and Production.
• Advise Sales on lifecycle cost, serviceability, upgrade paths and realistic delivery and support commitments.
• Identify upgrade and retrofit opportunities within the installed base and pass qualified leads to Sales.
• Analyse failure modes and recurring faults, and work with R&D to resolve root causes.
• Capture customer feedback and market intelligence from service interactions.
• Help refine Korvus quality and documentation systems as the company grows.

Key Performance Indicators

• Service response and resolution times, and first-time fix rate.
• Customer satisfaction and retention across the installed base.
• Service revenue (contracts, spares, upgrades) and service margin against target.
• Quality and timeliness of technical input to quotations and tenders, and its contribution to orders won.
• Accuracy and completeness of service records and documentation.
• Health and safety compliance and zero avoidable incidents.

Key Relationships

External:

Customers (academic and industrial), global sales agents, component and pump suppliers, third-party service and logistics providers.

Qualifications and Training

• Degree in physics, engineering, materials science or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience in a technical role in industry.
• Hands-on experience of vacuum technology (HV/UHV), including turbomolecular and roughing pumps, gauging, leak detection, and thin film or plasma systems.
• Experience installing, commissioning, fault-finding or servicing complex scientific or industrial equipment.
• Working knowledge of PVD techniques such as sputtering and thermal or e-beam evaporation.
• Understanding of control systems, power supplies, mass flow control and electrical safety on vacuum equipment.
• Proven experience managing people, a team or a service function.
• Experience supporting or contributing to technical sales or customer-facing technical discussions.
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel in the UK and internationally.
• Experience in a scientific instrument or capital equipment manufacturer.
• Familiarity with CRM and ERP systems and service management tools.
• Knowledge of thin film characterisation techniques (profilometry, ellipsometry, SEM/EDX, XRD).
• Experience of tender or university procurement processes.
• Formal qualifications in management, project management or health and safety (e.g. IOSH).
• Technical credibility with experienced scientists and engineers.
• Strong leadership, delegation and team-building skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, with the ability to explain complex technical points clearly.
• Commercial awareness, able to link service activity to revenue and margin.
• Calm, structured problem-solving under customer pressure.
• Highly organised, with strong time management and attention to detail.
• Customer-focused with a positive, can-do attitude.
• Collaborative, building close working relationships across Sales, R&D and Production.
• Self-starter comfortable working in a small, fast-growing business.

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