Equipment Engineer, Deposition and Thermal Process Development, Microelectronics Research Center

Job Posting Title:

Equipment Engineer, Deposition and Thermal Process Development, Microelectronics Research Center ----

Hiring Department:

Office of the Vice President for Research ----

Position Open To:

All Applicants ----

Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40 ----

FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA ----

Earliest Start Date:

Immediately ----

Position Duration:

Expected to Continue ----

Location:

AUSTIN, TX ----

Job Details:

General Notes

The Microelectronics Research Center (MRC) laboratories serve users from both universities and corporations across many different fields: electronics, optics, physics, chemistry and astronomy, as well as chemical, mechanical and petroleum engineering. The MRC is more than a clean room with a comprehensive set of advanced nano-fabrication equipment; it is a community of scientists who work together to build advanced technology products and knowledge.

UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

100% employer-paid basic medical coverage

Retirement contributions

Paid vacation and sick time

Paid holidays

Purpose

This position will be responsible for ensuring processes and the equipment in the areas of deposition and thermal process are operational and baselined as well as providing support for process integration with lithography and etch areas.

Responsibilities

Equipment Performance, Maintenance, and Sustainment

Own and maintain deposition toolsets (sputtering, evaporation, ALD, CVD, furnaces) to meet uptime, reliability, and performance targets.

Monitor and optimize key system parameters such as pressure control, gas flow, temperature uniformity, plasma stability (for sputtering), and deposition rate control.

Perform tool qualification, calibration, and matching to ensure repeatable film deposition across systems.

Diagnostics, Troubleshooting, and Repair

Perform advanced diagnostics and root cause analysis for equipment-related issues affecting film quality and system performance.

Conduct hands-on troubleshooting and repair, including replacement of electronic boards, sensors, power supplies, vacuum components, and mechanical assemblies.

Coordinate with vendors on major repairs, upgrades, and preventative maintenance strategies.

Process Development Support

​Support development and optimization of thin-film deposition processes in collaboration with engineers and researchers.

Establish baseline recipes and process windows for metals, dielectrics, and functional materials.

Ensure equipment capability aligns with lithography-defined requirements such as feature size, step coverage, and pattern transfer.

Metrology and Characterization Integration

Utilize and support metrology tools (e.g., ellipsometry, profilometry, SEM, AFM, XRR) to characterize film thickness, uniformity, stress, adhesion, and morphology.

Correlate metrology data with equipment performance to identify drift, non-uniformity, or failure modes.

Maintain a set of electrical characterization systems to support monitoring of electrical quality of films and contacts.

Support data collection, analysis, and process monitoring using scripting tools where applicable.

Collaboration and Integration

Work closely with researchers, engineers and technicians to align tool performance with process requirements.

Support downstream integration by ensuring lithography tools meet performance needs for etching, deposition, and lift‑off processes.

Participate in facility planning related to tool upgrades, replacements, and capability expansion.

Collaborate with other process engineers, technicians, and researchers to support process transfer, yield improvement, and multi-step process integration.

Participate in interdisciplinary projects involving lithography, metrology, etching, and deposition.

User Support, Training, and Documentation

Train users on equipment operation, capabilities, limitations, and safety practices.

Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), training materials, and maintenance documentation.

Provide technical support to researchers for process planning and tool selection.

Safety and Compliance

Ensure safe operation of deposition systems, including vacuum systems, high-voltage components, and process gases.

Maintain compliance with institutional safety standards and cleanroom protocols.

Participate in safety reviews, hazard assessments, and incident response as required.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related field.

Minimum 3 years of experience with semiconductor or thin-film deposition equipment.

Strong understanding of vacuum systems, gas delivery systems, thermal processes, physical and plasma-based deposition techniques.

Demonstrated experience with equipment diagnostics, troubleshooting, and component-level repair (electronics and mechanical systems).

Experience with thin-film characterization and metrology techniques (e.g., ellipsometry, SEM, AFM).

Experience with electrical characterization of films and devices. (e.g., 4-point probe, Hall, probe station)

Familiarity with cleanroom operations and microfabrication workflows

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related field.

Experience supporting sputtering, evaporation (thermal/e-beam), ALD, furnaces, Rapid Thermal Process, and CVD systems in a research or pilot-line environment.

Familiarity with lithography processes and pattern-dependent deposition (e.g., lift-off, step coverage challenges).

Experience with scripting or data analysis tools (e.g., Python) for equipment monitoring or process correlation.

Experience in a shared-user academic or national laboratory cleanroom.

Knowledge of film stress engineering, adhesion layers, and interface control.

Salary Range

$90,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

Uniforms and/or personal protection equipment (furnished)

May work in all weather conditions

May work in extreme temperatures

May work around chemical fumes

May work around standard office conditions

May work around biohazards

May work around chemicals

May work around electrical and mechanical hazards

Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation

Use of manual dexterity

Climbing of stairs

Climbing of ladders

Lifting and moving

Occasional weekend, overtime and evening work to meet deadlines

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Required Materials

Please mark "yes" on the application for required materials. Failure to attach all additional materials listed may affect candidates being considered for the position.

Resume/CV

3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor.

Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This infor