Senior Crystal Growth Engineer

Coherent•Budd Lake, NJ

22h•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Crystal Growth Engineer to own and improve crystal-growth processes. This role involves leading a development-heavy portfolio for oxide and garnet materials while providing production-sustaining engineering support. You will apply advanced understanding of various growth parameters to control crystal quality and reproducibility, provide technical leadership for multiple crystal growth techniques, and plan and execute experiments. You will also investigate process excursions, use data to identify trends and recommend improvements, support furnace and equipment capability, and establish and maintain process-control plans. Additionally, you will support the transfer of new processes to production and promote a strong EHS culture.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Ceramic Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a closely related technical discipline.
At least 9 years of direct, hands-on experience in crystal growth, crystal-growth process development, or high-temperature materials manufacturing.
Direct experience growing oxide and/or garnet materials, or demonstrably transferable experience with comparable high-temperature oxide crystal-growth systems.
Advanced working knowledge of crystal-growth process physics and parameter control, including the relationship of thermal profile, melt behavior, atmosphere, growth rate, and equipment configuration to crystal quality and yield.
Demonstrated familiarity with Czochralski, Bridgman-Stockbarger, Float Zone, and Skull Melting techniques; depth in the methods used at the site will be evaluated during selection.
Experience planning and interpreting experiments, analyzing process data, and applying statistical or structured problem-solving methods to improve capability and reduce variation.
Experience troubleshooting furnaces, controls, instrumentation, vacuum/inert-gas systems, and related growth equipment in a manufacturing or development environment.
Ability to write clear technical documentation and communicate effectively with operators, technicians, engineers, quality personnel, and leaders.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and data-analysis tools used to document and evaluate process performance.
Ability to work onsite in Budd Lake, New Jersey.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or Ph.D. in relevant materials, engineering, or physical-science discipline.
Experience growing optical, laser, nonlinear optical, oxide, semiconductor, or other high-performance single-crystal materials.
Experience with high-purity raw-material preparation, solid-state synthesis, thermal treatment, and material characterization methods relevant to crystal quality.
Experience developing or modifying crystal-growth equipment, hot zones, furnace recipes, sensors, process controls, or automation.
Demonstrated success transferring a crystal-growth process into stable manufacturing production and improving yield, throughput, or product performance.
Strong project leadership, organization, attention to detail, and follow-through in a fast-paced technical environment.

Responsibilities

Own and improve crystal-growth processes from charge preparation and furnace setup through growth, cooldown, inspection, and disposition, with a focus on quality, yield, throughput, and safe operation.
Lead a development-heavy portfolio for oxide and garnet materials while providing production-sustaining engineering support for deployed growth methods, including process stability, yield, quality, and equipment capability.
Apply advanced understanding of thermal fields, temperature gradients, pull or translation rate, rotation, atmosphere, pressure, melt chemistry, crucible and hot-zone configuration, and seed orientation to control crystal quality and reproducibility.
Provide technical leadership and hands-on support for Czochralski, Bridgman-Stockbarger, Float Zone, and Skull Melting processes; evaluate method selection and parameter windows for materials and product requirements.
Plan, execute, and analyze structured process experiments and DOE; translate results into controlled work instructions, recipes, process specifications, and training materials.
Investigate growth, material, and equipment excursions using data and root-cause methods; define and verify corrective and preventive actions with Manufacturing, Quality, Maintenance, and Engineering partners.
Use process and characterization data to identify trends in defects, inclusions, stress, cracking, composition, optical performance, and other relevant material attributes; recommend practical process improvements.
Support furnace and ancillary-equipment capability, including preventive maintenance priorities, calibration, controls, sensors, vacuum or inert-gas systems, RF or induction systems, and troubleshooting of equipment-related variation.
Establish and maintain process-control plans, risk assessments, change-control records, and technical reports; communicate results, risks, and recommendations clearly to cross-functional teams and leadership.
Support transfer of new or improved processes from development to production, including qualification runs, acceptance criteria, operator training, and sustained process monitoring.
Promote a strong EHS culture by following applicable procedures and identifying hazards associated with high temperature, vacuum, pressure, inert gases, RF/induction power, and materials handling.