Senior Staff Scientist - Optical Coatings

Role Purpose

Lead coating development projects for Advanced Optics, with a focus on Precision Optics (semiconductor inspection) and Laser Optics (lithography). This role drives new coating designs, improves existing coatings and processes, supports early-stage customer programs, and contributes to long-term coating technology strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop new coating designs for semiconductor inspection and lithography applications
• Optimize coating designs and processes to improve performance, reliability, durability, and cost
• Lead technical development for early-stage Precision Optics programs
• Support long-term coating and surface technology initiatives with Research
• Define and execute DOE plans, sample coating, testing, and analysis
• Guide technicians and engineers across development coating platforms, including PVD, plasma-assisted PVD, IBS, magnetron sputtering, and ALD
• Improve manufacturing performance through coating design, materials, fixtures, and metrology
• Provide clear, proactive reporting and cross-functional technical support throughout development and production

Expertise

• Strong background in materials science, thin films, coating design, and optical coating processes
• Experience with optical coatings across IR, visible, and DUV wavelengths; VUV/EUV knowledge is a plus
• Familiarity with metrology tools such as ellipsometry, AFM, and optical performance testing
• Ability to work cross-functionally with Development, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Research teams

Experiences/Education - Required

• Ph.D. in Physics, Material Science, or Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, or Electrical), or equivalent, with at least 10 years of experience OR 15+ years of relevant experience will be required for non-Ph.D. applicants.
• Strong problem-solving skills in complex materials, processes and equipment.
• Deep expertise in physical vapor deposition methods (PVD) for optical thin films, and associated optical properties, microstructure, stress, distribution on non-flat complex shapes and influence of varying light energy interaction with substrates and films.
• Strong technical skills in optical thin film design, materials selection, processing, characterization, and optical measurements via Spectroscopic Ellipsometry.
• Experience in supporting or leading R&D project plans with business focus.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Experiences/Education - Desired

• Knowledge of additional coating technologies including Plasma Assisted PVD, Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), Ion Beam Sputtering, Magnetron Sputtering, and Optical Monitoring Systems.
• Experience in advanced metrology tools such as AFM, TOF-SIMS, and PCI absorption analysis
• Optical design knowlege beyond coating (modeling for complex assemblies of mirrors, lenses, prisms or assemblies)
• Project management competencies
• Team leadership experience