Thin Film Coating Engineer

Gooch & Housego•Moorpark, CA

16h•$135,000

About The Position

ABOUT US G&H is a world leader in optical designing, testing and manufacturing. As experts in the technology of light, G&H works with customers to provide optical systems, assemblies, and components for demanding applications Headquartered in Ilminster Somerset, UK with primary operations in the USA and Europe, G&H is recognized for the breadth of their acousto-optic, electro-optic, crystal-optic, fiber optic, and precision optic products. G&H is recognized as the preferred source for OEMs in the life sciences, industrial, and aerospace and defense industries, with a history of quality and excellence that dates back over seventy-five years. ROLE G&H's Moorpark site manufactures precision optical components for aerospace, defense, and other applications. The Optical Coatings department produces high-performance thin film coatings using ion beam sputtering (IBS). We are looking for a Coating Department Engineer to lead the production, process engineering, and equipment maintenance activities of a specialized department. This is a hands-on role with direct supervisory responsibility for a technician team and comprehensive ownership of deposition chambers. The right candidate will combine strong process engineering fundamentals with practical equipment aptitude and the ability to manage production in a low-volume, high-precision environment. This is not a back-office role. You will be on the floor, in the chambers, and directly involved in production outcomes every day. The equipment mix creates a breadth of engineering challenge. Your individual effectiveness will have a direct and visible impact on site performance.

Requirements

Knowledge of optical coatings (design and manufacturing) and metrology.
Hands-on experience with high vacuum equipment and tooling design.
Proficiency in an optical coating production environment.
Team player with strong verbal and written communication skills who works well in complex cross-functional situations.
At least 5 years of experience in optical thin film.
Or bachelor’s degree with 2 years of experience in optical coating production.
BS or MS in physics, materials science, optical engineering, or related discipline (equivalent experience considered)
Demonstrated experience in thin film deposition, preferably ion beam sputtering
Hands-on experience with vacuum system maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair
Experience in a production environment with accountability for throughput and quality
Ability to supervise and lead a technical team
Must be a U.S. Person as defined under ITAR

Nice To Haves

Experience for cleaning precision optics a plus.
Ion beam sputtering experience. This is the single most impactful qualification a candidate can bring. IBS/Spector experience dramatically reduces ramp-up time on our core production platforms.
Optical metrology expertise: you will be responsible for spectrophotometers, cavity ring-down spectroscopy, microscopy, etc.
Thin film coating design skill, including familiarity with TFCalc or Essential Macleod
Comfort in a department where the engineer is involved at every level, from production planning to hands-on chamber work

Responsibilities

Perform production coatings with statistical process control.
Work with a team or alone to prepare, operate, and maintain coating equipment.
Clean and inspect optical surfaces.
Evaluate and improve production yields.
Interact with team members and customers to solve quality related issues.
Design coatings, tooling, and optimize processes.
Generate and revise documentation for the manufacturing, inspection, and maintenance procedures.
Align goals with the company’s core values: customer focus, integrity, action, unity, and precision.
Continuously raise individual performance to proactively address problem-solving and continuous improvement.
Additional tasks as assigned by management.