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Sputtering Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

IDEX

Facilities Maintenance Technician

Santa Ana, CA

$20 - $27.50/hr

Perform and own routine preventive maintenance on production equipment, including ovens, plating lines, vacuum furnaces, sputtering systems, leak testers, XRF units, profilometers, and other process ...

Amat

Process Engineer II (E2)

Benicia, CA · On-site

$86K - $119K/yr

Running PVD sputtering and e-beam deposition processes * Maintaining PVD sputtering system and other lab equipment * Running diamond-metal braze processes * Support of general R&D group in ...

Skyworks

$19.25 - $24/hr

... and sputtering machines. * Must be able to participate in daily updates and exchange of information during meetings * Ensure ESD protocols are met and monitor compliance Required Experience and ...

Semtech

Operator 2, Production

Alhambra, CA

$24 - $30/hr

Thin film deposition (PECVD, sputtering) * Execute process steps according to SOPs and process recipes * Perform wafer handling with high care to prevent damage or contamination * Ensure proper lot ...

Attalon, Inc.

Lead Coating Engineer

San Pablo, CA · On-site

$100K - $178K/yr

Hands-on experience with thin film deposition technologies (thermal and e‑beam evaporation, sputtering, CVD) and related tooling design; strong understanding of process physics and mechanics.

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Sputtering information

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Sputtering position, and why are they important?

To thrive in a Sputtering role, candidates should possess a solid understanding of thin film deposition techniques, materials science, and cleanroom protocols, often backed by a degree or certification in engineering, physics, or a related technical field. Proficiency with sputtering equipment, vacuum systems, and process control software is highly valuable, as are certifications in semiconductor manufacturing or related ISO standards. Attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and effective teamwork are important soft skills in this position. These abilities ensure precise operation, high-quality output, and collaboration within multidisciplinary manufacturing or R&D environments.

What is a Sputtering job?

A sputtering job involves operating and maintaining sputtering equipment used for thin film deposition in industries like semiconductor manufacturing, optics, and coatings. Technicians oversee the process by preparing materials, controlling deposition parameters, and ensuring quality standards are met. They may also troubleshoot equipment issues, perform routine maintenance, and work in cleanroom environments. This role requires attention to detail, technical knowledge, and an understanding of vacuum systems and material properties.

What does a typical workday look like for someone in a Sputtering role?

A typical day for someone working in sputtering involves preparing deposition equipment, setting up target materials, monitoring thin film processes, and conducting quality checks on the resulting coatings. You'll often work in a cleanroom environment as part of a team alongside engineers, technicians, and researchers to develop or manufacture high-performance materials. In addition to hands-on equipment operation, the role may require documenting results, troubleshooting technical issues, and performing routine maintenance. Collaboration and communication are key, as you'll coordinate with other departments to ensure production goals and quality standards are consistently met.

What are the most commonly searched types of Sputtering jobs in California? The most popular types of Sputtering jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Sputtering jobs in California? For Sputtering jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Sputtering jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Sputtering jobs in California are:
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Sputtering jobs near you

Nanofabrication Intern - Summer 2026

Periodic Labs

Menlo Park, CA • On-site

$19.75 - $25.75/hr

Temporary, Internship

Posted yesterday

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
Periodic Labs is developing AI that can both simulate science and verify its predictions to train on the full scientific method. A central challenge in that mission is connecting materials discovery with real, scalable device-relevant form factors. Materials our AI predicts and our lab synthesizes must ultimately be validated through thin films, patterned structures, and device-relevant process flows for applications across semiconductors, memory, photonics, and advanced materials.
We are looking for a hands-on Nanofabrication Intern with experience in cleanroom-based microfabrication or nanofabrication. This person should have practical exposure to lithography, deposition, and etch processes for silicon-based microelectronic, photonic, MEMS, or optical devices.
In this role, you will support process development and experimental execution while contributing to the buildout of Periodic's internal thin-film and nanofabrication capabilities. Your work will help generate high-quality experimental data that feeds directly into our AI training pipeline.
What You'll Do
  • Execute hands-on nanofabrication processes for silicon-based microelectronic, photonic, MEMS, or optical devices, including lithography, thin-film deposition, etch, substrate preparation, and related cleanroom workflows.
  • Support lithography processes such as spin coating, baking, mask alignment, exposure, development, lift-off, and optical inspection.
  • Operate or support thin-film deposition processes such as sputtering, evaporation, PVD, PLD, ALD, PECVD, or related techniques.
  • Run or assist with etch processes such as wet etching, plasma etching, RIE, ICP-RIE, or other dry etch workflows.
  • Prepare substrates, manage process flows, track samples, and maintain detailed experimental records that meet the metadata and data quality standards required for AI training.
  • Perform basic structural, optical, electrical, or morphological characterization, potentially including profilometry, ellipsometry, SEM, optical microscopy, XRD/XRR, 4-point probe, or related metrology.
  • Work with senior scientists and engineers to troubleshoot process issues, identify failure modes, and iterate on recipes or workflows.
  • Collaborate with materials science, AI, and automation teams to connect fabrication results with model predictions and experimental planning.
  • Follow rigorous laboratory safety and facility protocols, including those required by external shared cleanroom facilities.
You Will Thrive in This Role If You Have
  • Currently pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in electrical engineering, materials science, applied physics, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, or a related field.
  • Hands-on experience in a university cleanroom, nanofabrication facility, semiconductor lab, photonics lab, MEMS lab, or related research environment.
  • Practical exposure to lithography, deposition, and etch processes. You do not need to be equally deep in every module, but you should understand how these steps connect in a device fabrication flow.
  • Experience working with silicon-based microelectronic, photonic, MEMS, optical, or semiconductor devices.
  • Comfort spending real time at tools, following cleanroom protocols, logging process details, and learning new equipment quickly.
  • Strong documentation habits and attention to detail. You record what actually happened in the experiment, not just what was intended.
  • Ability to work independently in shared research facilities while escalating issues appropriately and learning from senior team members.
Especially Strong Candidates May Also Have
  • Experience with full or partial device fabrication flows involving lithography, deposition, etch, and characterization.
  • Hands-on experience with specific tools or techniques such as mask aligners, spin coaters, sputtering, evaporation, ALD, PECVD, RIE, ICP-RIE, profilometry, ellipsometry, SEM, or 4-point probe.
  • Experience fabricating silicon photonics, MEMS, optoelectronic devices, sensors, thin-film devices, or other micro/nanoscale structures.
  • Experience working in 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 or device form, including oxides, nitrides, metals, semiconductors, superconductors, magnetics, ferroelectrics, or multilayer stacks.
  • Interest in working at the intersection of experimental science, nanofabrication, and AI-driven discovery.
Mechanics
Location: Menlo Park, CA. This role is expected to be on-site, with work taking place at Periodic's lab and external cleanroom facilities in the Bay Area.
Term: Internship / fixed-term position.
Compensation: Competitive and based on experience.
Visa sponsorship: We sponsor visas and will do everything we can to assist in this process with our legal support.

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