DLC Process Engineer — Coatings & PECVD Optimization

ARMORLUBE LLC; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

ArmorLube LLC is seeking a DLC Process Engineer to lead optimization, scaling, and daily execution of PECVD coating lines. You will own the coating lifecycle from pretreatment to advanced plasma parameter tuning for DLC and thin-film coatings.

The role requires expertise in vacuum science, surface engineering, and plasma-assisted deposition, and you will work with production, quality, and R&D teams to reduce cycle times and improve coating adhesion and yield.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field (Materials Science, Mechanical/Chemical Engineering, Physics) or related discipline.
• 3+ years in vacuum coating, PVD/PACVD, or DLC deposition systems.
• Strong foundation in vacuum tech, plasma physics, and thin-film growth.
• Experience with substrate prep, cleaning, and surface treatments.
• Experience with CAD for designing vacuum fixtures and tooling.

Responsibilities

• Optimize PECVD deposition recipes, parameters, and target properties (hardness, thickness, residual stress, friction).
• Develop and standardize pretreatment protocols to maximize adhesion.
• Design and maintain substrate holders, masking tools, and rotation fixtures.
• Investigate failures with analytical tools and implement CAPA actions.
• Collaborate with maintenance for vacuum systems, MFCs, and plasma sources.
• Write SOPs, batch records, and traveler documentation to support quality standards.
• Scale new coatings from lab/pilot to full production.

Skills

Vacuum science

Surface engineering

Plasma-assisted deposition

DOE & Six Sigma

Data-driven problem solving

Education

B.S. in Materials Science

B.S. in Mechanical/Chemical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Job description

ArmorLube LLC is seeking a DLC Process Engineer to lead optimization, scaling, and daily execution of PECVD coating lines. You will own the coating lifecycle from pretreatment to advanced plasma parameter tuning for DLC and thin-film coatings.

The role requires expertise in vacuum science, surface engineering, and plasma-assisted deposition, and you will work with production, quality, and R&D teams to reduce cycle times and improve coating adhesion and yield.