Materials Lab Technician (Powder Processing, Furnace, PPMS) *PART-TIME*

Materials Lab Technician (Powder Processing, Furnace, PPMS)

Seeking Materials Lab Technician to support the installation, integration, and commissioning of advanced scientific instrumentation. As the Equipment Commissioning Specialist, you will play a key role in bringing newly delivered equipment such as furnaces, PPMS, vacuum systems, and thin-film or powder-processing tools into full operational readiness. This role requires hands-on technical skills, strong mechanical and electrical integration experience, and a commitment to maintaining safety and precision throughout the commissioning process.

Responsibilities:

• Receive, uncrate, and position sensitive laboratory instrumentation in accordance with manufacturer and safety specifications.
• Connect and verify utilities required for system operation, including electrical service, chilled water, compressed air, vacuum, exhaust, and inert or reactive gas lines.
• Assemble and configure ad hoc utility infrastructure, such as gas manifolds, regulators, and tubing systems, including tube bending, flaring, and fitting installation.
• Design or fabricate simple fixtures and custom jigs to facilitate equipment mounting, alignment, or calibration where required.
• Conduct system startup, alignment, and calibration in collaboration with vendors and internal engineering staff.
• Perform preliminary diagnostics and troubleshooting of instrumentation and utility interfaces during commissioning.
• Maintain detailed commissioning documentation, including utility diagrams, calibration logs, and equipment readiness reports.
• Ensure compliance with environmental health and safety (EHS) standards, particularly in handling electrical, thermal, and gas systems.
• Collaborate closely with scientists and engineers to ensure efficient transition from installation to full operational use.

Required Experience:

• Associate s or Bachelor s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Demonstrated experience with installation and commissioning of laboratory or industrial scientific instruments, including integration of electrical, thermal, and fluid systems.
• Strong practical skills in mechanical assembly, precision alignment, and safe tool use (e.g., torque wrenches, tube benders, crimping and fitting tools).
• Working knowledge of laboratory utilities: single- and three-phase electrical service, compressed air, gas manifolds, vacuum lines, water cooling systems, and exhaust.
• Familiarity with scientific instrumentation used in materials research, such as furnaces, PPMS, gloveboxes, or thin-film deposition tools.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to interpret technical drawings, wiring diagrams, and equipment schematics.
• Comfortable connecting utilities (e.g., compressed air, pneumatic lines, 220V electrical wiring).
• Hands-on ability to assemble lab setups, such as bending tubing, connecting fittings, or verifying motor polarity.
• Understands sensitive, expensive equipment and can handle setup with minimal supervision.
• Able to troubleshoot, calibrate, and validate new equipment installations.

Type: Contract
Duration: 3 6+ months
Location: Menlo Park, CA (Onsite)

Pay Rate Range: $40-55/h (DOE)

Commitment: Approximately 8 hours per week (schedule flexible based on equipment deliveries)
Pay Rate Range:

Submit resume to

Owen Williamson

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