Laboratory Technician

Laboratory Technician

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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.

• 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.

• 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 escalate 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.

• Organize and perform inventory counts of stockroom supplies, including equipment,…