ALD Lab Lead: Stand Up, Run & Scale the Lab

Amphiform; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Amphiform in San Francisco is seeking a senior lab lead to build and own a vacuum deposition lab, driving the ALD process development and safety compliance. You will stand up the lab, commission the Beneq TFS200, and guide early reactor development for pilot-scale production.

You will manage lab operations, vendor relationships, and technician hiring, with a focus on scalable processes, regulatory readiness, and quality systems in a startup environment.

Qualifications

• Five+ years hands-on with vacuum deposition equipment in fab, national lab, or cleanroom.
• Installed, commissioned and serviced an ALD system (Beneq TFS200 preferred).
• Strong vacuum and mechanical competence: turbomolecular pumps, foreline traps, leak detection.
• Pyrophoric and toxic precursor handling experience.
• Gas delivery infrastructure and safety sign-off experience.

Responsibilities

• Stand up a lab from scratch: power, cooling, exhaust, seismic anchoring, floor loading, contractor management.
• Install and commission Beneq TFS200: leveling, utilities, pump-down, leak check, bake-out, baseline growth.
• Run and optimize the tool: PM schedules, chamber maintenance, precursor changes, calibration, data SPC.
• Hire and manage technicians as we grow; own lab procurement and budget; vendor relations.
• Scale to pilot line: design input on reactors, utilities headroom, throughput planning, and quality foundations.

Skills

Vacuum deposition

ALD systems

Lab management

Safety leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Vendor management

Tools

Beneq TFS200

RGA

KF/CF/VCR

Turbos

Dry pumps

Job description

Amphiform in San Francisco is seeking a senior lab lead to build and own a vacuum deposition lab, driving the ALD process development and safety compliance. You will stand up the lab, commission the Beneq TFS200, and guide early reactor development for pilot-scale production.

You will manage lab operations, vendor relationships, and technician hiring, with a focus on scalable processes, regulatory readiness, and quality systems in a startup environment.