About Nearfield Instruments
Nearfield Instruments (NFI) is a fast-growing high-tech scale-up that designs, develops, integrates, markets, and services advanced semiconductor metrology solutions. Our instruments enable the world’s leading chipmakers to improve production yield and device performance—powering smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient electronics.
Founded in 2016, Nearfield brings together top scientific and engineering talent to deliver a unique, high-throughput Scanning Probe Microscopy platform for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.
As we continue to expand globally, Japan is a key strategic market with strong opportunities for long-term business growth and partnership development.
The Role
As Business Development Manager Japan, you will support Nearfield’s commercial development in Japan and contribute to building our market presence.
This is a remote, Japan-based role with a strong customer-facing component, where success depends on your ability to build effective working relationships with key stakeholders within semiconductor manufacturing organizations.
While the role requires independence and ownership, it operates in close collaboration with global teams and experienced commercial leaders. You will act as an important interface between Japanese customers and Nearfield’s organization, helping align customer needs with our solutions and roadmap.
Requirements
Key Responsibilities
Business Development & Strategy
Support the execution of Nearfield’s growth strategy in Japan
Identify and develop new opportunities within semiconductor manufacturers and ecosystem partners
Contribute to building Nearfield’s presence in the Japanese market
Customer Relationship Management
Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders (engineering, procurement, and mid-to-senior management levels)
Support engagement with senior stakeholders together with global or senior team members
Navigate structured and consensus-driven decision-making processes in Japan
Opportunity Development & Sales
Translate customer needs into clear value propositions with support from technical teams
Participate in discussions on technical solutions, timelines, and commercial terms
Support the management of complex and long-cycle sales processes
Contribute to negotiations and deal progression
Customer & Market Impact
Represent the voice of the customer within Nearfield
Support long-term partnerships with key accounts
Provide market and competitive insights
Contribute to commercial growth and pipeline development
Internal Collaboration
Work closely with Product, Engineering, Applications, and Marketing teams
Help align customer requirements with Nearfield’s roadmap
Facilitate communication between Japanese customers and international teams
Who You Are
A business development or sales professional with experience in the semiconductor industry
Comfortable building relationships across different stakeholder levels
Able to operate independently while collaborating closely with internal teams
Familiar with Japanese business culture and relationship dynamics
Strong communicator, able to connect technical topics with customer needs
Proactive, structured, and motivated to grow in a commercial role
Required Experience & Qualifications
Experience as a Business Development Manager, Sales, or Account Manager in the semiconductor industry
Experience working with customers in semiconductor manufacturing or related industries
Exposure to capital equipment, metrology, or high-tech environments is a plus
Ability to manage multi-stakeholder sales processes (with support where needed)
Understanding of Japanese business culture
Strong communication and commercial skills
Fluent in Japanese and English (business level required)
Based in Japan (remote role with regular customer engagement)
What We Offer
A high-impact role in a fast-growing deep-tech company
Opportunity to contribute to Nearfield’s growth in a strategic market
Strong collaboration with international teams
Learning and development in a global commercial environment
A dynamic and entrepreneurial working environment
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