PVD Applications Engineer — Thin Film & R&D

Kurt J Lesker; Rockleigh (NJ); On-site; USD 70,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company-paid medical and dental

401k plan

Paid vacations

Sick time

Job summary

KDF Technologies, LLC in Northern NJ is seeking an Application Engineer to lead R&D in thin film deposition and develop new processes. You will conduct complex experiments, write white papers, and present results at major conferences with a focus on PVD performance and tool improvements.

The role involves working with customers, internal teams, and test/engineering groups to optimize deposition and metrology. Travel is required; a strong background in vacuum tech and metrology is essential.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Material Science or Engineering required; PhD preferred.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in vacuum/PVD contexts.
• Experience with sputtering and in-house thin film metrology tools.
• Ability to design and run experiments and generate test reports.
• Strong problem solving, communication, and project management skills.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.
• Ability to lift up to 30 lbs and work safely around high voltage equipment.

Responsibilities

• Designing and conducting complex experiments to develop innovative processes.
• Developing white papers on key technologies and processes.
• Presenting at conferences such as SVC, MRS, and AVS.
• Improving deposition recipes and material usage through new methods.
• Interacting with customers and KDF personnel to resolve PVD process issues.
• Supporting customers during inspections and Factory Acceptance Tests.
• Using metrology tools to understand film performance and drive improvements.
• Maintaining detailed notes and saving results digitally.

Skills

Vacuum technology

PVD/sputtering

Thin film metrology

Experiment design

Data analysis

Technical reporting

MS Office

Travel willingness

English proficiency

Education

B.S. in Material Science or Engineering

PhD preferred

Tools

Profilometer

Ellipsometer

Reflectometer

RGA

In-house metrology tools

Job description

KDF Technologies, LLC in Northern NJ is seeking an Application Engineer to lead R&D in thin film deposition and develop new processes. You will conduct complex experiments, write white papers, and present results at major conferences with a focus on PVD performance and tool improvements.

The role involves working with customers, internal teams, and test/engineering groups to optimize deposition and metrology. Travel is required; a strong background in vacuum tech and metrology is essential.