Process Engineering Technician (Thin Films)

We are seeking a hands-on Process Technician to support a dedicated thin-film laboratory focused on high-throughput materials research. This role owns day-to-day tool operation, sample preparation, and first-line maintenance on vacuum-based deposition and characterization equipment, keeping throughput high and process variance low.

Responsibilities

• Run deposition tools to SOP, verifying process conditions and logging results.
• Prepare samples: dice, cleave, mount, and clean substrates per recipe.
• Operate characterization tools and log structural, optical, and electrical film data.
• Perform first-line and preventive maintenance (chamber cleans, consumable changes, leak checks, calibration checks, PM scheduling).
• Run qualification/monitor samples and track thickness, uniformity, and rate against baseline.
• Support non-standard experiments and off-recipe requests from process engineers.
• Maintain detailed run documentation per data pipeline standards.
• Own lab safety and housekeeping, including chemical handling, gas/precursor changes, and cleanroom protocol.
• Qualifications3+ years of hands-on experience operating thin-film deposition and/or metrology equipment in a semiconductor fab, R&D line, or equipment supplier environment.
• Working knowledge of at least one deposition technique at a practical, hands-on level.
• Sample prep experience with delicate materials (dicing/cleaving, mounting, cross-sectioning) without introducing artifacts.
• Comfort with basic metrology data (thickness maps, film measurement checks).
• Mechanical aptitude and hands-on maintenance instinct.
• Rigorous documentation habits and attention to detail.
• Cleanroom experience.
• High school diploma or equivalent required; technical degree or certificate preferred.

Bonus Qualifications

• Associate degree or technical certificate, or equivalent military/industry training.
• Vacuum system troubleshooting, RF matching/plasma tuning, or mass flow/pressure control calibration.
• Experience with LIMS, MES, or similar systems.
• Wafer-level metrology experience.

Type: Contract

Duration: 6-months (extension or conversion possible)

Location: Menlo Park, CA (100% on-site)

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm

Pay Rate Range: $45-$65/h (DOE)

No 3rd party agencies or C2C