I was part of the team who developed the original Cypher scanning probe microscope, which launched in 2008. The feedback from our customers was that they’d like to be able to scan their samples faster, at 100’s of lines per second rather than the typical 1-2 lines per second. So we started to look at ways to improve the system.

In my role, I’m the conduit for all engineering staff to funnel their work into a common product. For Cypher VRS, this meant working with software, electrical and mechanical engineers to bring together something that had never been done before. We improved the mechanical movements of the scanning mechanism, the electronics that drive the system, and developed software that could stream and acquire data as a single file.

I’ve had a hand in the product all the way through, from beginning to end, even working with production to write assembly instructions and testing procedures. Working here is all about helping each other to reach a common goal. 

Jeff, Manufacturing Engineer

Santa Barbara, California

I was in the Testing team when Cypher VRS was being developed and worked alongside the Research & Development (R&D) team to develop a new test protocol from scratch. This is like a set of instructions to follow to make sure that the product or the system performs as well as we’re expecting it to. It includes pre-tests during assembly, and final system tests to verify performance.

As my role has developed, I’ve been able to take on more difficult projects. After my involvement with the Cypher VRS, I moved into a new role in Operations. Now I’m sort of the bridge between R&D and Operations. I work with loads of different people from different areas on getting new systems from R&D into mass production.

Our systems have a really wide spread of applications, and we have customers all over the world. On any given day, you can have people calling from Australia, India and China, and that’s really cool.

Alexander, Manufacturing Engineer

Santa Barbara, California

In the AFM community, the idea of a high-speed system has been around for a long time, but outside of a few research groups with home-built systems, it was never technologically possible. We’re here to help our customers get the best products for their research, so obviously we were interested in this area.

In Sales, you need to spend time really building an understanding of what your customers want. So while Cypher VRS was being developed, I was involved in identifying the target markets, and researching what kind of performance would be required by our customers. Then I worked with colleagues in Product Management, Engineering, Applications and other parts of the company to help them understand these requirements.

In a number of different cases, Cypher VRS is the only instrument on the market that can offer customers what they need. No other product can image biological processes at a nanometre scale as they happen in the body. Cypher VRS has been an amazing success for our customers. This makes the entire team proud. 

Mayur, Americas Sales Manager

Santa Barbara, California

The way we do HR is that we’re really focused on the business needs and how we can deliver that. We’re doing the most exciting work in the industry, and by making sure we have the right people in the right roles, HR has an impact on the success of the products, and the business.

As the HR manager for Asylum, it was my role to make sure that we not only had the right staff in place to work on Cypher VRS, but that we were helping them to develop with our Technical Development Programme. I managed the resources and staffing needs for the project, and I worked with members of the team to determine which people would play which roles.

We always look for people internally as well, to see if there is anyone who could be a good fit. Being a global business, we like to provide the opportunity to develop where we can. We want our people to be able to visit other sites, learn more about our business and be able to return home with all those experiences. 

Erin, HR Director

Santa Barbara, California