Senior Process Engineer - Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)

About the Role

As a Senior Process Engineer – Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), you will own the process health and performance of one or more production deposition modules used to fabricate superconducting quantum processors. You will develop, optimize, and qualify thin-film deposition processes, using data to drive continuous improvement. With growing scope, you will set technical direction for your process area, mentor other engineers, and represent process engineering in cross-functional decisions.

You will collaborate closely with equipment, facilities, process integration, materials, design, and quantum engineering teams to solve complex technical problems and support the scaling of Rigetti's quantum hardware platform. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to both day-to-day manufacturing and the technical direction of next-generation superconducting fabrication processes.

Responsibilities

• Own the process health and performance of assigned PVD modules through SPC, process monitoring, and data analysis.
• Develop, optimize, and qualify thin-film deposition processes for superconducting resonators, signal wiring, and interconnect structures, including qualification of new equipment, materials, and process technologies.
• Analyze process, metrology, and electrical characterization data to improve reproducibility and device performance.
• Lead root-cause investigations and implement corrective and preventive actions for process, equipment, and materials-related issues, including cross-functional coordination.
• Partner with facilities and equipment engineering to coordinate preventive maintenance, support equipment recovery, and lead process qualification following maintenance or repairs.
• Document process development activities, author and maintain standard operating procedures, and train process technicians on new processes and equipment operation.
• Contribute to and help set the technical roadmap for your process area, including equipment strategy, capability investments, and long-term scalability.
• Mentor and technically review the work of process engineers or technicians.
• Represent process engineering in cross-functional design and technical reviews, driving trade-off decisions across materials, process integration, design, and quantum engineering.

Qualifications

• Master's degree with 4–6 years of relevant industry or research experience, or a PhD with 2+ years of relevant industry, postdoctoral, or research experience, in Materials Science, Physics, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience with PVD equipment (sputtering, e-beam, or thermal evaporation) and semiconductor fabrication processes; direct, sustained experience with 4-inch or 6-inch wafer processing required.
• Strong working knowledge of vacuum systems and thin-film deposition processes, including diagnosing process or tool drift.
• Strong understanding of semiconductor fabrication processes and superconducting or semiconductor device physics.
• Experience with process development, experimental design (DOE), and engineering data analysis, with examples of using data to drive process decisions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical documentation.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional engineering environment.
• Comfortable operating with real autonomy in a fast-paced R&D environment with evolving technical priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading the end-to-end qualification of a new process, tool, or material into production or scaled R&D use.
• Experience mentoring other engineers or technicians, or setting technical direction within a process area.
• Experience owning a process module through multiple technology generations or major equipment transitions.
• Track record of publications, patents, or documented internal process-capability improvements.
• Experience with superconducting thin films or device fabrication.
• Experience developing thin-film processes for semiconductor, superconducting, or quantum technologies.
• Hands-on experience with thin-film characterization techniques such as ellipsometry, AFM, SEM, XRR, XRD, or related methods.
• Experience analyzing engineering data using statistical methods and tools such as JMP, Python, MATLAB, or similar software.
• Exposure to quantum computing, cryogenic measurements, or superconducting device technologies.
• Experience working in a startup or R&D-focused engineering environment.

Pay

$170,000 - $200,000 a year base salary. Final compensation will be determined by relevant work experience, skills, and geographic location.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries and equity.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees.
• 401(k) plan.
• Paid parental leave program.
• Rejuvenation days and a vacation policy aligned with local regulations and industry standards.

About Rigetti

Rigetti Computing is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. The company has operated quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 and serves global enterprise, government, and research clients through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services platform. Rigetti’s proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides ultra-low latency integration with public and private clouds for high-performance practical quantum computing. The company has developed the industry’s first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems and designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industry’s first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility.

Founded in 2013, Rigetti employs more than 150 people with offices in the United States, U.K., and Australia. Learn more at www.rigetti.com.