Staff Scientist – Microelectronics & Nanofabrication

The Molecular Foundry at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is seeking to hire a Staff Scientist in its Nanofabrication Facility. This individual is expected to develop and lead a research program in microelectronics research that highlights the role of precision materials synthesis, and to build a world-class user research program focused on these topics. Candidates at every level of experience, ranging from early-career (career track) to experienced staff scientist, are encouraged to apply.

This is an opportunity to join a vibrant research community dedicated to excellent science and international collaboration.

The Molecular Foundry is a national user facility for nanoscale science – one of five Department of Energy Nanoscale Science Research Centers. These are shared resources for the scientific community, with access determined on a peer-reviewed competitive basis, free for public research. Approximately 1000 researchers make use of the Molecular Foundry each year. It is a multidisciplinary research center at the forefront of nanoscale science, and a knowledge-based user facility that provides state-of-the-art expertise and instrumentation to a diverse, national and international community, drawing users from academia, national labs and industry.

The successful candidate is expected to establish a leading research program with robust outreach to the broad scientific community to grow potential new user collaborations, taking advantage of our collaborative, interdisciplinary center. The Foundry operates under a 50:50 effort model, with half of the Nanofabrication Staff Scientist’s time devoted to user service and outreach, with the remaining effort devoted to developing a world class independent research program in the basic science of nanofabrication.

Rather than functioning as an isolated laboratory effort, the primary focus is to drive the next-generation microelectronics research, while bridging precision materials synthesis, and automated data infrastructure.

• Design and lead a robust individual research program synergistic with the Molecular Foundry’s research themes around materials for microelectronics. This individual is expected to develop, resource (through additional external funding), and lead a fundamental nanofabrication program to investigate the impact of structure, function & dimensionality on modern microelectronics. Examples could include, but need not be limited to:
• Leverage the fleet of existing nanofabrication tools (sputter, e-beam, and atomic layer processing and dry etch plasma tools) in our class 100 cleanroom, while maintaining their utility as a core capability for academic and industrial users of the facility.
• Utilize these tools towards development and understanding of functional materials for CMOS and beyond with a focus on patterning down to sub 10nm dimensions.
• Explore the frontiers of optical patterning for future microelectronic circuit elements through multi-photon lithographic patterning, 3D optical patterning, optically induced area selective deposition and etching, extreme UV, or other optical patterning approaches.
• Combine the in-process data, materials characterization, and device performance into fundamental datasets to enable machine learning models capable of predicting the key materials properties and process parameters for highly performant microelectronic materials and device designs.
• Develop a thriving multidisciplinary user program, recruiting users from industry, academia, and national labs, through the development of unique expertise and capabilities. Provide users with support through your own efforts, hands‑on and with your expert knowledge, in the area of nanofabrication.
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