[Hiring] Senior Materials Characterization Support Specialist @PerkinElmer

Role Description

The Senior Materials Characterization Support Specialist serves as a remote technical expert supporting PerkinElmer’s customers, field service engineers, and internal stakeholders throughout North America. This role is responsible for the rapid triage, diagnosis, and resolution of complex hardware, software, and application-related issues across supported Materials Characterization platforms.

Operating as part of the Technical Assistance Center (TAC), this position plays a critical role in maximizing customer instrument uptime, avoiding unnecessary field service visits, enabling first-time-fix outcomes, and delivering a consistently high-quality customer experience. The specialist applies deep technical knowledge, strong diagnostic reasoning, and the ability to visualize systems remotely—often without direct access to the instrument—to resolve known, repeat, and novel issues.

This is a full-time remote position M-F and can be done either in US or CAN.

Job Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary technical contact for incoming customer, field engineer, and internal support inquiries via phone and email for PerkinElmer Materials Characterization products.
• Triage requests ranging from basic product information to highly complex service and performance issues involving hardware, software, consumables, or methodology.
• Perform detailed remote diagnostics of complex electro/mechanical equipment and computer/software systems by interpreting user descriptions, symptoms, error messages, system logs, and/or user generated data.
• Drive issue resolution toward the most efficient and timely outcome: remote fix where possible, or a well-prepared service event where required.
• Guide customers or colleagues through corrective actions to restore performance and uptime when remote resolution is achievable.
• Determine likely root cause(s), recommend corrective actions, identify required parts, and document a clear plan of action to enable first-time-fix when field service is required.
• Provide professional, accurate quotations for billable services and/or escalate leads for other PE products/services to appropriate internal teams as applicable to customer entitlement status.
• Act as a mentor and technical resource for colleagues by liaising between global technical services, training teams, and the North American service organization.
• Support operational excellence by adhering to documented procedures and maintaining accurate, complete, and timely service records.
• Participate in company offered training and development programs to support continuous improvement of technical expertise and soft skills.
• Support additional cross-functional or special initiatives based on business needs as interest and workload allow.
• Maintain training and compliance in areas of health and safety, security, environmental and operational aspects of daily activities in the working environment.

Critical Skills

• Sound technical knowledge in all Materials Characterization product lines supported, including applications knowledge, and proficiency in all software platforms of associated supported equipment.
• Ability to apply sound judgment and critical‑thinking skills to complex technical problems using structured, stepwise diagnostic reasoning and root‑cause analysis.
• Ability to safely and professionally execute technical work in accordance with written and verbal instructions.
• Proficiency with standard computing tools to document work, analyze information, and generate reports.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information clearly and effectively with customers, peers, managers, and other technical support professionals.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Biology, Chemistry, Electronics, or related discipline.
• MUST have expert level experience with Materials Characterization Instrumentation on a repair level as a Subject Matter Expert (5+ years).
• 5+ years' experience with at least two (2) of the following product technologies: FT-IR, UV-Vis, TEA.
• 5+ years of experience in a support, service, or an analytical laboratory environment performing duties of a product end user or service technician using Materials Characterization instrumentation.
• Must be able to travel up to 25% for training (in the USA) and for quarterly field ridealongs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ten (10) years experience in a support, service, or an analytical laboratory environment performing duties of a product end user or service technician using Materials Characterization instrumentation.
• Experience with all three (3) of the following product technologies: FT-IR, UV-Vis, TEA, is desired.
• Certification through company‑provided training on PerkinElmer instrumentation and software products, or equivalent hands‑on professional experience supporting PerkinElmer systems, is desired.

Working Environment

• Primary work environment is a home office or office based setting, supporting customers remotely via phone, email, and computer based systems.
• Work is primarily sedentary and computer focused, requiring extended periods of concentration, phone communication, and use of standard office equipment.
• Job pace may be fast moving, with periods of high workload depending on customer demand and escalations.
• Occasional travel may be required for training, team meetings, or visits to customer sites or company training facilities.
• Potential exposure to laboratory hazards including chemicals, biological materials, temperature extremes, or regulated waste may occur during training or site visits.

Compensation

The annual compensation range for this full-time position is $82,000 to $105,000 USD. The final base pay offered to the successful candidate will be determined by factors including internal equity, work location, as well as individual qualifications, such as job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Company Description

PerkinElmer is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, or veteran status or any other characteristics protected by applicable law. PerkinElmer is committed to a culturally diverse workforce.