Engineer Thin Film Materials

General Atomics - San Diego, CA

Full-time

San Diego, CA

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Thin Film Materials Engineer at General Atomics will be involved in the development, production, characterization, and analysis of novel materials for laser-driven fusion research. This role requires the engineer to address physical vacuum deposition (PVD) coating challenges, ensuring the creation of complex targets with minimal defects. The position emphasizes independence while collaborating with a team, translating customer specifications into practical fabrication plans, and maintaining high product quality at reduced production costs.

Responsibilities

• Work with a high degree of independence while incorporating inputs and constraints from others in a team environment.
• Translate customer specifications into practical fabrication plans with best product quality while minimizing production costs.
• Perform PVD coatings, including rate checks, composition optimization, stress optimization, and contamination control.
• Work in radiation-controlled areas as part of daily operational tasks.
• Perform failure analysis and implement mitigation plans in a timely manner.
• Understand and master characterization techniques to support the generation of comprehensive metrology data packages.
• Explore new scientific methods and adapt to the production and characterization of targets.
• Pursue research projects under the direction of senior staff and management, providing support to the wider IFT team and national laboratory collaborators.
• Perform equipment maintenance, diagnose, repair, and upgrade.
• Maintain safe, clean, and organized coating laboratories.
• Document findings, communicate results to scientific staff, and make technical presentations as required.
• Publish in recognized scientific journals and present work at conferences.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required.

Requirements

• Typically requires a Bachelor's degree in engineering or related discipline; equivalent scientific experience may be substituted in lieu of education.
• A degree in Physical Science is desirable, in areas such as Physics, Material Science, Chemical Engineering, or Nano Engineering.
• Prior hands-on experience in vacuum coating equipment and PVD/CVD coating processes is highly desired.
• Prior experience in cleanroom protocol is highly desired.
• Software experience can be helpful, such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD, LabVIEW.
• Ability to learn and perform target characterization using optical and x-ray based metrology tools.

Nice-to-haves

• Prior experience in target characterization using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, XRF, Radiography, Scanning electron microscopy with EDAX/EDS, various forms of interferometry, and confocal microscopy methods.