Laboratory Technician

University of California; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 41,328 - 50,971; Full time

Job summary

Caltech seeks a Laboratory Technician to support day-to-day operations of its cleanroom facilities on campus. You will maintain and organize wet/dry labs, storage areas, and equipment, ensuring maintenance is documented and supplies stay stocked for the research team.

You will work with nanofabrication systems, HVAC and electrical infrastructure, performing routine maintenance, basic troubleshooting, and keeping safety records to enable smooth, high‑quality research at Caltech.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hands-on equipment operation, maintenance, and installation.
• Strong mechanical, electrical, and vacuum-system knowledge.
• Proficiency with MS Office for data and procedure documentation.
• On-site work in Pasadena with lab teams.

Responsibilities

• Conduct daily checks of nanofabrication equipment and report issues.
• Maintain lab hygiene and keep organized data records and SOPs.
• Coordinate vendor visits and document repairs and test results.
• Monitor facility systems (HVAC, plumbing, gas lines) and escalate issues.
• Support planning for facility-related projects and lab users' timelines.

Skills

Equipment maintenance

Electrical troubleshooting

Documentation

Attention to detail

Education

Associate degree or trade-technical college

Tools

Excel

Word

Outlook

PowerPoint

Job description

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

A Caltech Lab is seeking a Laboratory Technician to support the day-to-day technical operations of its cleanroom facilities on the Caltech campus.

The Technician will maintain and organize the cleanroom labs — wet/dry labs, mechanical equipment rooms, and supply and chemical storage areas — ensuring equipment maintenance is completed and documented on time, supplies (including chemicals) stay well stocked, and daily operations run smoothly for the lab's research team.

A core part of the role is maintaining state-of-the‑art nanofabrication equipment: material deposition systems (e.g. plasma‑enhanced chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, physical vapor deposition), material etching systems (e.g. reactive ion etchers, vapor HF), a scanning electron microscope, fume hoods for wet chemistry, and other supporting tools. The successful candidate will grow their expertise across these systems over time, working closely with other technicians and equipment engineers who share responsibility for the equipment. When repairs are needed, the Technician combines problem‑solving skills with mechanical, electrical, and vacuum‑system know‑how to bring equipment back to optimal working order — then documents the fix so future repairs go faster. Test protocols and preventative maintenance plans round out the role, minimizing equipment failure and maximizing uptime for researchers.

In addition to fabrication equipment, the Technician helps monitor and support the lab's broader physical infrastructure — HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and gas delivery systems — serving as an early point of detection and communication between the lab and Caltech Facilities.

This is a foundational role within the lab operations team, with room to grow into more specialized responsibilities. Overall, the Technician is expected to contribute to the lab's culture and capabilities, and to help meet the high standards required to run a world‑class research operation.

Equipment maintenance and repair:

• Conduct daily checks of the lab and nanofabrication equipment to identify issues and communicate these to the team.
• Perform routine maintenance on lab facility and safety systems, including heat exchangers, air handler units, DIW systems, particle counters, and gas detectors. Coordinate work with Caltech facility personnel and team members.
• Work with team members to maintain state‑of‑the‑art nanofabrication equipment. For repairs requiring vendor service, coordinate the visit, follow through until it's complete, document the visit, and communicate results to the lab supervisor.

Facilities monitoring and coordination:

• Monitor lab facility systems (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, compressed gas, and DI water lines) for signs of malfunction — unusual noise, temperature drift, leaks, alarms — and report issues promptly to the Lab Manager and/or Caltech Facilities.
• Serve as the on‑site point of contact for facilities‑related service visits: coordinate access, communicate lab‑specific constraints (e.g., cleanroom protocols, sensitive equipment nearby) to vendors and Facilities staff, and follow up until issues are resolved.
• Perform basic facilities troubleshooting within scope (e.g., resetting tripped breakers, identifying the source of a leak, checking gas cabinet alarms) before escalating to Facilities or a specialized vendor.
• Track critical environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, particle counts, gas levels) that affect equipment performance and researcher safety, and elevate deviations quickly.
• Support planning for facility‑related projects affecting lab operations (e.g., HVAC balancing, electrical shutdowns, plumbing work), including preparing equipment and communicating timelines to lab users.

Inventory and procurement:

• Organize and perform inventory counts of stockroom supplies, including equipment, maintenance spares, consumables, PPE, chemicals, gas cylinders, and other hazardous and nonhazardous materials.
• Place orders for consumables and coordinate delivery with vendors. Flag vendor issues (communication, quality, lead time) to the lab supervisor and help resolve them.

Lab standards and documentation:

• Maintain the cleanroom's hygiene standards, keeping workspaces organized and clean. Coordinate routine cleaning with vendors.
• Keep organized data records, troubleshooting documentation, and standard operating procedures to track equipment performance and guide future maintenance.
• Train lab users on safe, effective equipment operation, and support broader lab safety practices alongside the Lab Safety Officer.
• Help identify and implement process improvements across equipment maintenance and lab operations.

Communication and lab culture:

• Communicate progress and problems to the supervisor via email/phone, in meetings, and in reports, matching the format to the urgency and scope.
• Raise difficult or uncomfortable issues (e.g., equipment damage, missed protocols, delays) as soon as they're identified — early transparency protects the lab and its researchers more than a delayed or filtered report.

Basic Qualifications

Experience and technical skill:

• 2+ years of hands‑on experience in equipment operation, maintenance, repair, and installation— gained through work experience, military technical training, apprenticeships, trade school, or self‑directed projects (formal degree not required).
• A high level of craftsmanship and thorough knowledge of mechanical design, materials, tools, units, and basic measurement techniques.
• Working knowledge of basic electrical troubleshooting (e.g., resetting breakers, diagnosing simple circuit issues) and vacuum systems, sufficient to support repairs on lab equipment.
• Proficiency with Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Work style and collaboration:

• Attention to detail and excellent problem‑solving and debugging skills.
• Willingness to maintain highly organized data records.
• Ability to learn quickly and transfer that knowledge to others through teaching and documentation.
• A desire to meet — and set — high standards.
• Ability to work independently, with a high level of responsibility.
• Strong communication skills with the supervisor, vendors, and lab users.
• Teamwork skills and an ability to collaborate with coworkers having diverse skills and backgrounds.

Schedule and physical requirements:

• On‑site during peak hours (8am–5pm, Monday through Friday), with the ability to work early mornings, evenings, and weekends when necessary.
• Able to work in a cleanroom setting, following all established protocols for gowning, PPE, and safety.
• Able to lift up to 20 lbs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate's degree or completed at least 2 years of Trade‑Technical College in a relevant technical area.
• Basic computer maintenance and troubleshooting skills, e.g., new hardware installs, networking, performing hard drive backups.
• Prior experience working with precision instruments in any technical field (e.g., optics, avionics, electronics repair, machining, or similar) where careful handling directly affects equipment performance or outcomes.

Required Documents

• Resume

Hiring Range

$29.75 to $37.25 per hour
The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.
As one of the largest employers in Pasadena, CA, Caltech is committed to providing comprehensive benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Our benefits package includes competitive compensation, health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, generous paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick time, parental leave, bereavement, etc.), tuition reimbursement, and more. Non‑benefit eligible employees will have access to some benefits such as onsite counseling and sick time. Learn more about our benefits and staff perks .

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Caltech is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

Caltech complies with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We consider reasonable accommodation measures that may be necessary for eligible applicants and employees to perform the essential functions of a position.

If you would like to request an accommodation to complete this application, interview, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please contact Caltech Recruiting at [e-mail] .

Additionally, if you do not meet the basic qualifications of a role but believe you can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation, please reach out to Caltech Recruiting at [e-mail] .