Thin Film Coating Technician

About the role

The Thin Film Coating Technician will support the engineering team in demonstrating new thin film coating and manufacturing processes. This role involves hands-on technical tasks such as setting up and evaluating coating equipment, managing recipes, performing inspections, and assisting in the transfer of new processes to manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Daily support of coating test activities, process set-up, hardware evaluation, coating measurements and characterization, analysis of results.
• Manage coating recipe and layer programming, create individual coating run documentation files, maintain organized coating file history, oversee coating test sample handling and storage.
• Understand and use existing/new metrology methods to characterize thin film designs and manufacturing performance.
• Perform optics Coating Inspection (CI) function as required for new projects including as-received quality inspection, pre-coat cleaning, post-coat inspection and packaging.
• Absorb and train others on new coating processes. Author work instructions, process sheets, and demonstrate measurement methods for new products.
• Engage with Mechanical Design team to design and fabricate prototype and production optical element tooling, customized coating chamber hardware, and metrology tools.
• Work to improve cleaning, material handling, and storage procedures within the coating process flow.
• Utilize Design for Manufacturing principles to determine optimal manufacturing strategies and Manufacturing Engineering Excellence (MEE) practices into thin film product and process work.
• Contribute to and document activities furthering coating technology via internal reports, invention disclosures, and patent applications.

Requirements

• 2-year technical degree in engineering, optics, or physics related field of study.
• Minimum 2 - 3 years of optical thin film coating experience (manufacturing and testing), preferably in the UV and visible wavelength ranges.

Qualifications

• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Critical thinking to solve problems quickly and efficiently.
• Knowledge of FilmStar thin film design and measurement software.
• Thin film characterization - spectrophotometer, ellipsometer, MIL spec testing.
• Electron beam, thermal evaporation, and ion-assisted deposition. High-vacuum practice; vacuum chamber operation, system control, and support equipment.
• Understanding of optical substrate materials; optics handling, cleaning, and inspecting.
• Contamination control and cleanroom operations.
• Excellent mechanical ability. Familiar with mechanical design and fabrication techniques. Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings and specifications.
• A genuine manufacturing thought approach, and the associated level of urgency needed to support manufacturing, when required.
• Able to effectively collaborate at a higher level with a multi-disciplinary team engineers and technicians across Engineering, Development, and Manufacturing functions to execute on new coating ideas and concepts.

Skills

• Knowledge of FilmStar thin film design and measurement software.
• Thin film characterization - spectrophotometer, ellipsometer, MIL spec testing.
• Electron beam, thermal evaporation, and ion-assisted deposition. High-vacuum practice; vacuum chamber operation, system control, and support equipment.
• Understanding of optical substrate materials; optics handling, cleaning, and inspecting.
• Contamination control and cleanroom operations.
• Excellent mechanical ability. Familiar with mechanical design and fabrication techniques. Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings and specifications.

Benefits

• Company-wide bonuses and long-term incentives aligned with key business results.
• Fixed contributions to a 100% company-paid pension benefit throughout your career.
• Medical, dental, vision, paid parental leave, family building support, fitness, company-paid life insurance, disability, disease management programs, paid time off, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Recognition program to celebrate successes and reward colleagues who make exceptional contributions.

Pay

$60,821.00 - $83,629.00 assuming full time status. Starting pay for the successful applicant is dependent on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education.

Schedule

Typical first shift production hours, M - F, 8AM - 5PM. Extra and off-hours may be required during times of heightened project activity to meet deliverables.