R&D Technician

PsiQuantum•Palo Alto, CA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

PsiQuantum is building the world’s first commercially viable quantum computer powered by silicon photonics. Our Foundry Engineering team partners with leading semiconductor manufacturers and research partners to support advanced silicon-based photonic platforms that enable scalable quantum systems. In this role, you will support day-to-day foundry operations, wafer logistics, wafer inspection, data upload, inventory tracking, documentation, and office/lab coordination activities. This position is hands-on and highly operational, requiring strong attention to detail, clear communication, and consistent follow-through across multiple systems, tools, and partner sites. The ideal candidate will be organized, dependable, comfortable working with wafers and lab/office workflows, and able to support engineering teams by keeping wafer movement, documentation, inspection records, reports, and operational communications accurate and up to date. You will work closely with PsiQuantum engineers, operations teams, and other external partners to help ensure smooth execution of wafer processing and foundry-related activities.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required; associate degree, technical certification, or relevant semiconductor, manufacturing, or laboratory experience preferred.
Experience working in a semiconductor, cleanroom, laboratory, manufacturing, logistics, or technical operations environment required.
Strong attention to detail and ability to follow documented procedures accurately.
Comfortable handling wafers, wafer carriers, FOSBs, documentation packages, and related materials.
Ability to use inspection tools, capture images, upload files, and maintain accurate digital records.
Familiarity with wafer tracking systems, work request systems, inventory systems, or manufacturing execution systems is preferred.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple daily tasks, recurring reports, shipments, supplies, and documentation workflows.
Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to summarize meeting notes and share updates through Slack or similar communication platforms.
Ability to work independently, escalate issues appropriately, and support engineers and operations teams in a fast-paced technical environment.
Proficiency with basic computer tools such as Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, file upload systems, and web-based workflow tools.
Dependable, hands-on, and proactive approach to maintaining operational readiness, inventory accuracy, and an orderly work environment.

Responsibilities

Support wafer handling activities, including FOSB mapping, wafer transfers, lot start documentation, and delivery of required documentation and materials to clean room.
Maintain accurate wafers in process (WIP) reports, wafer/FOSB inventory records and related tracking updates.
Update tool status and WIP reports twice per day and communicate key updates to the team.
Attend operations morning meetings, take clear notes, and distribute relevant action items, status updates, and operational information to the team.
Coordinate wafer and package logistics, including wafer shipments, shipping contacts, package pickup from Shipping & Receiving, and maintenance of shipping addresses, emails, and phone numbers.
Support lab, office, and partner-site operations, including lab activities, SP3 data collection and other operational systems.
Manage and operate a dedicated lab for wafer cryogenic testing including sample preparation, material acquisition, minor maintenance and remaining logistics needs.
Inspect wafers using optical microscopy, capture wafer images, and upload images and related records to support the engineering team.
Maintain an orderly office and shared work environment, including purchasing and restocking office supplies, lab supplies, snacks, and other recurring items for the regional offices.