Lab Operations Engineer

SLAC; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 71,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

nano@stanford is seeking a Lab Operations Engineer to oversee the operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of physical vapor deposition tools in the cleanroom. You will prepare requisitions, drawings, and training materials related to equipment and lab operations.

We require a strong engineering background, technical savvy, and a proactive approach to preventive maintenance. You will collaborate with teammates to repair equipment and support lab-wide improvements while juggling multiple

Qualifications

• Strong engineering fundamentals with hands-on experience with lab equipment.
• Proactive with preventive maintenance and documentation.
• Ability to juggle multiple projects and work in a team.

Responsibilities

• Operate, maintain and troubleshoot physical vapor deposition tools in the cleanroom.
• Prepare requisitions and site documentation; support incident response and lab-wide improvements.

Skills

Engineering fundamentals

Technical savvy

Organized

Preventive maintenance

Tools

Vacuum systems

PVD tools

Analytical instrumentation

Job description

WORK SCHEDULE:

On-site work arrangement; employee is expected to work on-site full-time. There may be occasional opportunities for remote work.

BUDGETED SALARY:

$71,145 - $132, 805

SCHOOL/UNIT DESCRIPTION:

nano@stanford is the largest shared research facility at Stanford University, formed by the merger of Stanford Nano Shared Facilities (SNSF) and the Stanford Nanofabrication Facility (SNF) in 2025. We provided access to world-leading facilities and expertise in nanoscale science and engineering for Stanford and external researchers from academic, industrial, and government labs across the US and around the globe. Over 1000 researchers, in applications ranging from medicine and biology to fundamental physics and astronomy, use nano@stanford’s cleanrooms and satellite labs, which contain approx. 400 pieces of equipment for device fabrication and characterization. More than a collection of labs, it's a vibrant research community.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Lab Operations Engineer will be primarily responsible for the operation, maintenance and troubleshooting of several physical vapor depositions tools. They will prepare and review purchase requisitions, drawings, training manuals, and other documents associated with equipment and lab operations. They will also participate in general cleanroom lab operations, join the Incident Response Team and support the maintenance and operations of other nanofabrication tools as needed. nano@stanford seeks a highly motivated, experienced lab operations engineer to make an impact on our research operations. You will perform maintenance and troubling on complex vacuum systems, physical vapor deposition tools, and analytical equipment, in addition to working with team members to improve the overall operation of the lab. As a successful candidate, you have a strong background in engineering fundamentals and are technologically savvy. You are highly organized and proactive and have great appreciation for preventive maintenance. You aren’t afraid to ask for help and are able to rally others to take on help with challenging equipment repairs or major lab cleanups. You can juggle multiple projects and change direction quickly to meet shifting priorities.