Materials Research and Development Engineer

Penn State University•University Park, IL

9d•$92,100 - $200,808•Onsite

About The Position

Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) is seeking a Materials Research and Development Engineer for its Electronic Materials and Devices Department in State College, Pennsylvania. The role supports research and development in electronic materials growth and deposition, device fabrication, materials characterization, electrical testing, and equipment maintenance. The department works on wide- and ultrawide-bandgap semiconductors, electronic devices, ceramics, and other functional materials. The engineer will help develop manufacturing processes for next-generation semiconductor materials and devices to improve electrical performance and capabilities. The position includes researching materials growth and deposition methods; operating furnaces and reactors; configuring vacuum-system hardware; maintaining and troubleshooting equipment; characterizing and testing materials and devices; analyzing data; preparing project summaries and technical reports; planning tasks and instructing staff and students; and collaborating on proposals, budgets, and Statements of Work. Higher-level positions also conduct and lead research, analysis, testing, evaluation, systems engineering, and prototype demonstrations addressing complex scientific and engineering challenges for Department of Defense sponsors and national security missions. The role is fully on-site in State College, PA. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance. The posting identifies an active Secret-level-or-higher clearance as a required skill/experience area. Employees must participate in ARL’s drug-testing program and comply with applicable electronic and physical monitoring requirements. The position may be filled at the Professional, Intermediate Professional, or Advanced Professional level, with differing experience requirements.

Requirements

Knowledge or experience with vacuum systems and hardware.
Knowledge or experience with materials growth and deposition methods, such as chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, or bulk crystal growth.
Knowledge or experience with materials characterization methods.
Knowledge of laboratory safety practices, including PPE, chemical handling, and waste disposal.
Ability to maintain organized and detailed notes.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Ability to express ideas successfully to drive understanding.
Willingness to work in a fast-paced team environment.
Active security clearance at the Secret level or higher is listed as a required skills/experience area.
U.S. citizenship and eligibility to obtain a government security clearance.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Science.
For the Professional level, no prior relevant work experience is required; for the Intermediate Professional level, at least 2 years of relevant experience is required; for the Advanced Professional level, at least 5 years of relevant experience is required.

Nice To Haves

Past success growing and depositing materials.
Past success using materials characterization tools.
Experience with microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) equipment.
Experience growing single-crystal or polycrystalline diamond films.
Experience with semiconductor materials and devices.

Responsibilities

Research materials growth and deposition methods.
Operate furnaces and reactors and monitor materials growth and deposition processes.
Configure furnaces, reactors, and hardware for vacuum systems.
Perform equipment maintenance and troubleshooting.
Characterize materials and devices using methods such as microscopy, spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electrical testing.
Analyze characterization and testing data.
Create project summaries and write technical reports.
Plan project tasks and provide instructions to other staff members and students.
Collaborate with engineers and research faculty to write proposals, develop budgets, and prepare Statements of Work.
At higher levels, conduct independent and collaborative research, development, testing, and evaluation to address complex scientific and engineering challenges supporting DoD sponsors and national security missions.
At higher levels, investigate and apply established and emerging engineering principles, scientific methodologies, and advanced technologies to develop technical solutions.
At higher levels, plan, perform, and lead analytical studies, modeling and simulation, laboratory experimentation, field testing, and prototype demonstrations.
At higher levels, design, develop, integrate, analyze, and evaluate complex technologies within assigned technical disciplines.
At higher levels, apply systems engineering principles throughout the project lifecycle, including requirements, architecture, design trade studies, integration, verification, validation, risk management, and configuration management.
At higher levels, develop experimental plans, test procedures, data collection methodologies, and performance metrics; analyze results and recommend design improvements.