Process Engineer – Thin Film Coating and Fluidic Assembly

Job Title

Process Engineer – Thin Film Coating and Fluidic Assembly

Pixel-Flo is a spin‑out from the University of Sheffield developing Continuous‑Flo™, a new manufacturing platform designed to solve one of the critical bottlenecks holding back the adoption of next‑generation microLED displays.

MicroLED displays offer major performance advantages over LCD and OLED technologies, but the display industry has been limited by the lack of a scalable and cost‑effective manufacturing solution. Pixel‑Flo’s proprietary continuous‑flow mass‑transfer process addresses this challenge, unlocking the potential of microLED display across wearable devices, automotive display, TV and more.

We have recently secured significant, multi‑year funding and are expanding our team, office and laboratory capability in Sheffield. This is an opportunity to join Pixel‑Flo at the point where university‑originated technology is being translated into an industrial engineering platform and a high‑growth deep‑tech business.

As we scale, we are building a multidisciplinary team across engineering, process development, commercial activity and operations. We are looking for people who want to help shape the company from an early stage and contribute to our supportive culture that is ambitious, innovative, practical and collaborative.

We are looking for a hands‑on Process Engineer to develop, optimise and scale Pixel‑Flo’s slot‑die based Continuous‑Flo™ process for microLED mass transfer.

This role sits at the centre of our technology development. You will design and run experiments, develop process windows, analyse yield and defect mechanisms, and translate experimental learning into repeatable process capability on an industrial coating platform.

You will work closely with Pixel‑Flo’s co‑founders, who invented the core technology, as well as with hardware, systems and fabrication engineers. Together, you will help develop the coating tools and process conditions to take Continuous‑Flo™ onto a commercially relevant manufacturing platform.

The role will suit someone with strong practical thin‑film coating or fluidic process development experience, ideally including slot‑die coating, who is comfortable working with uncertainty, solving problems experimentally and helping build a new process from the ground up.

• Design, run and analyse experiments on Pixel‑Flo’s slot‑die based Continuous‑Flo™ process
• Develop process windows to improve transfer yield, uniformity, repeatability, defectivity and throughput
• Build a deep practical understanding of the fluidic self‑assembly mechanisms governing microLED transfer
• Investigate the role of coating parameters, ink formulation, fluid properties, substrate design and process conditions in transfer performance
• Work with hardware/systems engineers to define, test and improve coating tools, fixtures, process controls and experimental platforms
• Collaborate with fabrication engineers to optimise MicroLED design, substrate architecture and process integration for improved yield
• Define and implement metrology approaches to quantify transfer yield, defects, failure modes and process repeatability
• Use structured experimental methods, including DOE where appropriate, to identify key process variables and interactions
• Translate experimental findings into documented, repeatable process recipes, operating procedures and design rules
• Use analytical modelling, simulation or data analysis where helpful to guide process understanding and optimisation
• Communicate progress, technical risks and experimental findings clearly to the wider team and leadership

• Hands‑on experience developing thin‑film coating, fluidic, printing, deposition or related process technologies
• Experience with slot‑die coating or a closely related coating/process platform
• PhD or comparable industrial experience in a relevant engineering, physical science, materials, chemical engineering or process development discipline
• Strong practical experimental skills, including designing, running, analysing and documenting process development experiments
• Experience identifying process variables, building process windows and…