Research Microfabrication Equipment Technologist
Description
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Job Requisition ID
2026-02398
Time Type
Full time
Employee Group
Staff
Job Category
IT Infrastructure and Systems
Employment Type
Permanent
Department
Faculty of Engineering - Electrical and Computer Engineering - Giga-to-Nanoelectronics Centre
Hiring Range
$85,980.30 - $107,475.38
Posting Information
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
The internal posting deadline for this position is August 27, 2026 , at 11:59PM
Job Description:
Primary Purpose
The Research Microfabrication Equipment Technologist is responsible for operational excellence in the Giga-to-Nanoelectronics (G2N) Laboratory. The G2N Lab is a Core Research Facility that provides users, both internal and external, access to nanoscience research expertise and instrumentation in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment. The role supports the visibility and reputation of the G2N Laboratory by maintaining the sound technical and operational capacity of the lab. This position provides highly specialized technical support, scientific expertise and consultation for G2N research activities. Additionally, the Research Microfabrication Equipment Technologist oversee the Foundry Lab tools for thin-film deposition and electronic device fabrication. This role also collaborates with faculty members assigned with the tasks of maintaining the equipment and tooling that are used to support the research performed in electronic materials and devices throughout campus.
Key Accountabilities
Lab Operations
- Creates and upholds policies for equipment operation and handling of materials.
- Designs and documents baseline fabrication processes for all equipment and maintain a library of stable, well-characterized standard procedures for equipment operation.
- Develops and implements quality assurance programs related to calibration, maintenance, and repair of equipment.
- Develops new test systems and upgrades to existing systems for maintaining the safe and optimized operation of the fabrication equipment in G2N.
- Ensures that all lab equipment performs optimally and consistently and performs regular checks of equipment for mechanical stability; oversees its maintenance and repair when required.
- Has a deep understanding of microfabrication tools to proactively schedule regular maintenance operations to minimize downtime and repairs.
- Continuously monitors equipment cleanliness and process compatibilities to ensure optimal infrastructure performance for consistent and reliable baseline processes; initiate corrective actions as needed.
- Acts as an information source to faculty members, researchers, graduate students and external users in meeting instrumentation needs.
- Coordinates the functions and operations of various laboratories with each other.
- Recommends and participates in procurement and installation of equipment, including calibration of new systems.
- Communicates Health & Safety guidelines to users, coordinates safety training as required, and instructs new users on cleanroom protocols.
- Ensures applicable safety requirements and guidelines are met and minimizes risk by controlling hazards.
Oversight of Research Lab Users
- Provides engineering assistance, instruction and consultation to faculty, students or industrial researchers to achieve research objectives.
- Educates users on effective methods and demonstrates techniques for operating microfabrication equipment.
- Trains and certifies new users in safe use of advanced equipment operation and test systems.
- Provides technical direction to other research staff, industry associates, technicians, and students.
- Supervises graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to ensure compliance with standard operating practices and equipment operation procedures.
- Assist users with upkeeping and maintaining microfabrication, electrical test, and characterization equipment in the G2N Lab; initiate and perform any maintenance and repair of these systems.
- Limits or prevents introduction of materials which damage or compromise equipment.
- Evaluate process flows and equipment process submissions to ensure feasibility and compatibility with microfabrication equipment in G2N.
- In conjunction with management, allows/denies user access to equipment based on compatibility and contamination considerations.
- Provides support and guidance for users in operating equipment for the development of microfabrication processes and the procedures for operating the tools.
Foundry Laboratory
- Consults with lab management on requests from potential new users or customers of the G2N Lab.
- Provides expert consultation and collaboration regarding technical requirements, capabilities and new approaches to research.
- Performs specialized technical tasks to design, develop, fabricate and test specialized structures using existing microfabrication equipment for use in research and related activities.
- Provides guidance and input on the feasibility of using existing equipment capabilities of the G2N lab for introducing new engineering experiments in the lab.
- Ensures the tooling and equipment in G2N can enable the required fabrication capabilities, testing, and research support for all projects in the lab.
- Provides timely access of microfabrication equipment in support of the design of experimental prototypes fabricated in the G2N lab through regular maintenance and upkeep of G2N equipment.
- Determines if the tooling and equipment are capable to develop new processes and enabling the equipment to meet these client requirements.
- Develops, implements, monitors and evaluates microfabrication tools to assess current and projected laboratory services and productivity.
- Maintains equipment and tools to deliver standard processes to guarantee devices to meet original equiment specifications.
- Responsible for Foundry Laboratory equipment calibration, raw materials usage, determination of frequency of maintenance, and working with other staff to find solutions to equipment issues.
- Responsible for equipment evaluations and materials usage to improve quality or reduce costs.
- Demonstrates equipment stability and repeatability via the establishment and routine running of quality and reliability tests such as Statistical Process Controls (SPC).
- Coordinates and directs recipe/process development initiatives as needed to optimize microfabrication equipment operation.
Instruction of Students and Assessment of Academic Performance
- Prepares lab experiments and provides instructions related to NE undergrad labs.
- Designs, constructs and tests specific set-ups for some lab experiments.
- Monitors students’ lab progress by evaluating reports and lab exams in the technical and theoretical aspects of the subject matter.
- Ensures academic integrity is maintained in the lab.
- Assesses NE work term reports.
- Assist students on an individual or group basis with lab and related assignments/problems.
- Evaluates NE student technical presentations and symposium poster marking.
- Consults/coaches/marks student fourth-year design projects.
- Develop experiments and write laboratory materials/manuals in conjunction with faculty.
- Recommends and/or makes necessary changes in materials, techniques or procedures to optimize the value of the lab exercise.
- Plans new labs, conducts, and evaluates prototype labs.
- Keeps lab content and resources current.
Other Duties
- Attends lab planning and review sessions.