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Film Lab Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Periodic

Process Engineer, Thin Films

Menlo Park, CA · On-site

We are standing up a dedicated thin-film lab in Menlo Park with a suite of deposition and characterization tools, and are hiring a Process Technician to own day-to-day tool operation, sample ...

Periodic

We are standing up a dedicated thin-film lab in Menlo Park with a suite of deposition and characterization tools, and are hiring a Process Technician to own day-to-day tool operation, sample ...

Tri-C

Music Technology Lab Coordinator

Cleveland, OH

SUMMARY This is a student focused role that supports lab classes,individual student needs, capstone ... Tutor RAT, Music and film students on production software. * Assist the Studio Tech Manager with ...

Dodd Camera

Photo Lab Technician

Cleveland, OH · On-site

$15/hr

Processing 35mm and 120mm film rolls are a daily task and our ideal candidate for this position ... Sorting lab orders from the store locations. * Maintaining log sheets from the store locations.

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Film Lab information

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How much do film lab jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for film lab in the United States is $25.25, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $19.23 and $27.88 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a film lab?

A Film Lab job involves processing, developing, and handling photographic or motion picture film. Technicians work with chemicals and specialized equipment to ensure high-quality image reproduction. Responsibilities may include film inspection, color correction, scanning, and printing for both analog and digital formats. This role is essential in the film industry for preserving and producing visual media.

What does a film lab do?

A typical day in a Film Lab involves processing exposed film, performing chemical baths and washes, maintaining precise temperature controls, and inspecting developed negatives for quality. You may also operate film scanners, coordinate with cinematographers or editors, and troubleshoot technical issues related to film handling or equipment. Collaboration is common, as you’ll often work alongside other technicians and communicate with production teams to ensure that all materials meet project specifications. The pace can be fast, especially when multiple projects are in the pipeline, but the work is rewarding for those who enjoy hands-on, detail-oriented tasks and contributing to the creative process of filmmaking.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the film lab position?

To thrive in a Film Lab, you need a solid understanding of film processing, color science, and chemical handling, typically supported by technical training or hands-on lab experience. Familiarity with film developing equipment, scanners, darkroom procedures, and quality control systems is integral to the job. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and effective teamwork are standout soft skills in this environment. Mastering these skills is crucial for ensuring high-quality film output, maintaining safety standards, and meeting tight production deadlines.

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Film Lab jobs near you
Infographic showing various Film Lab job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 5% Nights. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $52,516 per year, or $25.2 per hour.

Research Associate, Thin Films

Menlo Park, CA • On-site

Periodic Labs
See more jobs at Periodic Labsexternal

Contractor

Re-posted 7 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Execute thin-film deposition and related nanofabrication processes.

  • Prepare substrates, manage process flows, and maintain detailed experimental records.

  • Perform structural and functional thin-film characterization, including XRD/XRR, ellipsometry, profilometry, SEM/EDX, and electrical measurements.

Job description

About Periodic Labs
We're an AI and physical sciences company building state-of-the-art models to accelerate breakthroughs across materials, energy, and beyond. Backed by world-class investors and growing rapidly, we operate at the pace the frontier requires. Our team brings deep expertise, genuine ownership, and an insatiable drive to push the boundaries of what's scientifically possible.
About the Role
Join our world-class team of scientists and engineers building a lab where AI and automation speed up physical R&D.
Periodic Labs is developing AI that can both simulate science and verify its predictions to train on the full scientific method. A key challenge is the gap between bulk materials discovery and thin-film form: materials our AI predicts and our powder lab synthesizes must ultimately be validated as scalable thin films to be relevant to semiconductor, memory, and advanced materials applications. We are building a dedicated thin-film lab while generating early data at partner facilities.
We're looking for a hands-on Research Associate in Thin Films to run advanced deposition and nanofabrication processes, generate high-quality experimental data, and collaborate closely with our AI and materials teams. This is a 12-month fixed-term position with the potential to convert to full time.
In the near term you will operate at external partner facilities before Periodic's own tools come online. As the in-house lab is commissioned, you will transition to running experiments on deposition and metrology suite.
What You'll Do
  • As a process module owner, you will execute thin-film deposition and related nanofabrication processes.
  • Prepare substrates, manage process flows, and maintain detailed experimental records that meet the metadata and data quality standards for AI training. Every experiment you run is a potential data point for our models - documentation quality matters as much as deposition quality.
  • Perform structural and functional thin-film characterization: XRD/XRR for structure and thickness, ellipsometry and profilometry for film properties, SEM/EDX for morphology and composition, and 4-point probe and basic transport measurements for electrical properties.
  • Monitor in-situ metrology during deposition to ensure high quality film growth.
  • Collaborate with the AI and materials science teams to help define which deposition parameters to vary, interpreting film characterization results in context of what the AI predicts, and flagging discrepancies that may indicate new physics or synthesis insights.
  • Troubleshoot process issues and iterate quickly on recipes under guidance from senior team members. Escalate anomalies rather than work around them, and document both failures and fixes in a format that preserves institutional knowledge.

You Will Thrive in This Role If You Have
  • Currently pursuing or recently completed a PhD (or advanced graduate degree) in materials science, physics, chemistry, or a related field.
  • Hands-on experience operating thin-film deposition equipment - sputtering, evaporation, PLD, ALD, CVD, MBE, or related techniques - developed in a university or research lab environment.
  • Familiarity with the practical realities of these systems - target conditioning, chamber qualification, substrate preparation, and recipe troubleshooting.
  • Basic thin-film characterization experience: you know how to read an XRD pattern, interpret an ellipsometry fit, and recognize a SEM image that signals a process problem.
  • Strong documentation habits and attention to detail. You log what you did, not just what you intended to do, and you understand why that distinction matters in a data-driven science environment.
  • Ability to ramp up quickly on new equipment and experimental workflows, and comfort operating independently in shared research facilities where you are responsible for your own training and access.

Especially Strong Candidates May Also Have
  • Experience working in university nanofabrication facilities or shared cleanroom environments - including completing facility-specific safety training, navigating tool reservation systems, and operating within shared-use norms.
  • Exposure to functional materials in thin-film form: superconductors, magnetics, ferroelectrics, thermoelectrics, or multi-layer device stacks relevant to memory or semiconductor applications.
  • Familiarity with LIMS or other lab information systems used to track samples, experiments, and characterization results.
  • Experience with wafer-level metrology: film thickness mapping, stress/warpage measurement, or 4-point probe resistivity mapping at wafer scale.
  • Interest in working at the intersection of experimental science and AI-driven discovery.

Mechanics
Minimum education: Bachelor's degree or similar experience
Location: Menlo Park, CA or Montreal, Canada (Soon: San Francisco, too)
Compensation: $180,000-$225,000
This is a 12-month fixed-term position, with the potential to convert to full time.
Visa sponsorship: Yes, we sponsor visas and will do everything we can do assist in this process.

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