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)

Submit resume to

Owen Williamson

x127

Materials Lab Technician (Powder Processing, Furnace, PPMS)

Similar Jobs