Staff Surface Process Engineer / Surface Chemist
San Diego Stealth Startup · San Diego, CA · 1 mo ago
On-siteManagement$150k–$160k/yrFull-time
Position Overview
We are seeking a Staff Surface Process Engineer / Surface Chemist to develop and scale surface chemistry processes. This role combines deep expertise in precision substrate processing, process equipment engineering and surface chemistry with hands-on laboratory work in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop surface processing methods including cleaning, deposition, coating, curing, and QC.
- Develop robust vapor-phase deposition processes including silanization and other surface modification techniques, with emphasis on process uniformity, reproducibility, and manufacturability.
- Lead development, optimization, qualification, and troubleshooting of plasma cleaning processes.
- Specify, develop, optimize, and troubleshoot process equipment including vapor deposition systems, plasma tools, ovens, wet processing tools, and related automation.
- Establish process windows, critical process parameters, and statistical process controls for surface treatments.
- Design and execute statistically rigorous experiments (DOE) to understand process interactions and optimize surface performance.
- Characterize processed surfaces using techniques such as ellipsometry, contact angle, AFM, optical microscopy, fluorescence imaging, profilometry, XPS, SEM, and related analytical methods.
- Translate laboratory processes into scalable manufacturing methods with high yield and reproducibility.
- Drive equipment selection, installation, qualification, and process transfer to manufacturing.
- Mentor junior scientists and engineers while fostering rigorous experimental design, scientific curiosity, and rapid technical iteration.
Qualifications
- M.S. (+8 years of relevant industrial experience) or Ph.D. (+ 4 years) in Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Demonstrated expertise in surface processing and process development.
- Extensive experience in one or more of the following:
- Coating methods including spin coating and dunk coating
- Plasma cleaning equipment
- Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), surface planarization
- Vapor-phase surface deposition processes and equipment
- Wet chemical cleaning and substrate preparation
- Strong understanding of process development for glass, silicon, metal oxide, and other semiconductor-related materials.
- Experience developing manufacturing-ready surface processes with an emphasis on spatial uniformity, repeatability, process capability, and yield.
- Experience selecting, operating, qualifying, and troubleshooting process equipment.
- Experience with statistical experimental design (DOE), process optimization, and statistical analysis tools (JMP, Python, R, etc.).
- Experience using surface characterization techniques including ellipsometry, contact angle, AFM, profilometry, fluorescence microscopy, SEM, XPS, or related methods.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfortable working in a fast-moving, highly collaborative environment.
- Hands-on willingness to develop and troubleshoot processes in the laboratory.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
- With biotechnological device manufacturing.
- Experience integrating surface chemistry with photolithography, nanoimprint lithography, or other advanced fabrication techniques.
- Experience transferring laboratory processes into pilot or high-volume manufacturing.
- Experience supporting manufacturing equipment qualification and process validation.
Why Join Us
- Work with a multidisciplinary team spanning chemistry, engineering, optics, biology and manufacturing.
- Play a central role in developing scalable processes from research through commercialization.
- Competitive compensation, equity, comprehensive benefits, and flexibility to support work-life integration.