Engineering Positions:

Engineering Technician: Thin Film Deposition and Processing

STI, headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, has been a world leader in high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials since 1987, developing more than 100 patents as well as proprietary trade secrets and manufacturing know how. We are currently expanding our Materials R&D team to help us adapt our world-class HTS thin film process technology to produce second-generation (2G) HTS wire, a key enabling technology for emerging power generation and electric power grid applications. We are looking for talented, high-impact professionals who can help us successfully deliver on this opportunity.

Responsibilities include:

• Fabrication, processing, and characterization of high temperature superconductors (HTS) and other thin film materials in an R&D environment
• Fabrication of HTS thin film circuits including photolithographic processing, etching, ion milling, dicing, metals deposition, and wire bonding
• Construction and setup of high vacuum deposition equipment and other laboratory tools
• Operation and maintenance of laboratory equipment including photolithographic processing tools, high-vacuum deposition systems, and thin film characterization tools (x-ray diffraction, AFM, SEM, profilometry, etc.)
• Some routine photolithographic processing expected in addition to development of new process procedures for R&D and for production
• Procurement of supplies, equipment, and chemicals and maintenance of safe laboratory practices

Education and experience desired:

• Associate degree, B.S. degree, or equivalent technical experience
• Minimum 5 years experience in thin film processing
• Photolithographic processing expertise
• Machine, welding, or soldering skills
• Experience with operation and maintenance of thin film processing tools including aligners, ion mills, dicing saws, and thin film deposition systems
• Experience with thin film deposition including e-beam, ion beam, or sputtering systems
• Experience with electrical testing of materials or circuits
• Web coating experience preferred
• Thin film characterization including x-ray diffraction, SEM, EDX, or AFM
• Familiarity with clean room practices
• Knowledge of chemical handling and waste disposal

Thin Film Research Scientist

STI, headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, has been a world leader in high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials since 1987, developing more than 100 patents as well as proprietary trade secrets and manufacturing know how. We are currently expanding our Materials R&D team to help us adapt our world-class HTS thin film process technology to produce second-generation (2G) HTS wire, a key enabling technology for emerging power generation and electric power grid applications. We are looking for talented, high-impact scientists who can help us successfully deliver on this opportunity.

Responsibilities include:

• Design, construction, and operation of an ion-beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) thin film vacuum web-coating system with in situ RHEED control, and/or
• Design, construction, and operation of a sol-gel type web-coating deposition system
• Fabrication, processing, and characterization of HTS and other thin film materials in an R&D environment
• Fabrication of HTS thin film circuits including photolithographic processing, etching, ion milling, dicing, metals deposition, and wire bonding
• Perform cryogenic transport measurements, and coordinate work with others within a research team and with associates outside of STI
• Develop testing techniques, processes, and data acquisition methods
• Maintain laboratory equipment including photolithographic processing tools, vacuum deposition systems, and thin film characterization tools

Education and experience required:

• Ph.D. in physics, materials science, electrical engineering, or related discipline
• Minimum 5 years experience in research and development of HTS or other thin film materials
• Experience with thin film deposition hardware design and construction
• Web coating experience preferred
• Experience with epitaxial thin film fabrication (thermal and e-beam preferred), analysis, and cryogenic measurements
• Experience with operation and maintenance of thin film vacuum deposition and processing systems
• Good understanding of materials issues in complex oxide systems and how they affect physical properties
• Thin film characterization including x-ray diffraction, RHEED, SEM, EDX, and AFM
• Programming (Python, Matlab, Labview or equivalent) and data acquisition skills preferred
• Machining skills preferred
• Familiarity with clean room practices
• Knowledge of chemical handling and waste disposal