Job Description
Senior Field Service & Commissioning Engineer – Electron Beam Equipment
Location: Lombard, Illinois OR remote
Travel: Approximately 25–40%
About pro beam
pro beam is a global leader in electron beam technology, delivering advanced welding and additive manufacturing solutions for demanding industrial and research applications for over 50 years. Its systems are trusted in industries where precision and reliability matter most, including aerospace, defense, automotive, and energy.
The U.S. subsidiary in Lombard, IL serves as the operational hub for commissioning, service, training, and customer support across North America. The U.S. team operates within a global matrix organization, working closely with engineering, project management, and development teams headquartered in Germany.
About the Role
pro beam USA is seeking a Senior Field Service & Commissioning Engineer with experience supporting complex industrial equipment to lead commissioning support, advanced troubleshooting, and technical escalation activities across North America.
This role works closely with Field Service Engineers and Commissioning Engineers in the field and serves as a senior technical resource for non-routine machine behavior, commissioning challenges, and customer escalations.
The position combines hands-on commissioning support with advanced electromechanical troubleshooting across highly customized electron beam welding and additive manufacturing equipment.
While some troubleshooting and diagnostics are performed remotely, the role remains closely tied to real-world machine behavior, commissioning support, and complex equipment problem-solving at customer sites and within the Lombard facility.
This position is centered around commissioning support, industrial equipment troubleshooting, vacuum/high-voltage systems, and customer-facing technical problem-solving within highly customized machinery environments.
This role is best suited for engineers who enjoy solving non-routine problems and working on highly customized industrial equipment.
Key Responsibilities
Commissioning & Technical Escalation
- Provide technical leadership for machine commissioning and startup activities, both at the Lombard facility and at customer sites across North America
- Support complex or first-of-kind installations, particularly in non-standard commissioning scenarios
- Perform advanced troubleshooting across EB welding and additive manufacturing equipment, including electrical, vacuum, controls, and electromechanical subsystems
- Serve as a senior technical escalation point for Field Service Engineers and customers during complex troubleshooting situations
- Support root-cause analysis and long-term corrective actions for recurring technical issues
- Coordinate closely with engineering and project teams in Germany on technical issues and system improvements
Training & Knowledge Transfer
- Design and deliver customer and internal training programs ranging from machine operators to engineering-level users
- Mentor and support newer Field Service Engineers and Technicians entering the EB technology environment
- Create and maintain troubleshooting guides, commissioning documentation, and technical procedures
- Contribute to commissioning runbooks and technical service documentation
PLCs, Controls & Equipment Diagnostics
- Perform targeted PLC diagnostics and adjustments (Siemens / TIA Portal preferred; others considered)
- Support troubleshooting of HMIs, drives, sensors, and industrial communication networks
- Diagnose and resolve issues involving electrical systems, high-voltage components, vacuum equipment, and motion-control systems
- Support integration and troubleshooting of highly customized machinery and automation environments
Customer & Cross-Functional Interface
- Act as a senior technical point of contact for key customer accounts
- Support customer escalations with professionalism and urgency
- Assist proposal and quoting phases with technical input when needed
- Champion a strong safety culture, particularly around high-voltage, X-ray, and vacuum systems
Qualifications
Required
- 5–10+ years of hands-on experience supporting complex industrial or high-tech equipment
- Strong troubleshooting capabilities across electromechanical equipment and integrated subsystems
- Experience in commissioning, field service, startup, or applications engineering environments
- Working knowledge of PLC diagnostics (programming not required)
- Ability to work independently in customer-facing environments
- Strong communication skills and ability to train others
- Willingness to travel approximately 25–40%
Preferred
- Experience with electron beam systems
- Experience with vacuum equipment, high-voltage systems, semiconductor equipment, thermal processing systems, or similarly complex machinery
- Experience with additive manufacturing systems
- Familiarity with Siemens PLC environments (TIA Portal, drives, etc.)
- Experience mentoring or leading technical personnel
- Experience working within multinational or German engineering organizations
What Success Looks Like
Within the first 6 months, you will:
- Independently diagnose and resolve complex technical issues with limited reliance on support from Germany
- Serve as a trusted technical escalation point within the U.S. organization
- Support Field Service Engineers during challenging commissioning and troubleshooting scenarios
- Contribute to strengthening internal technical expertise through hands-on support and knowledge transfer
Compensation & Benefits
- Hourly rate: $50–$55/hour + overtime
- PTO: 15 days per year
- 401(k) with company match
- Health insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield, including dental)
- Visa sponsorship may be considered on a case-by-case basis
Why Join pro-beam
- Work with technology at the frontier of precision manufacturing
- Take on a senior, high-impact role with real ownership
- Collaborate with world-class engineers in Germany
- Join a team that values deep technical expertise and quality
- Play a key role in building pro-beam USA’s long-term technical capability
