Laboratory Manager, Photonics Center Director

The Boston University Photonics Center is a university-wide research center that houses 28+ faculty laboratories, four shared core facilities, a Business Innovation Center for photonics related startups and companies, and the work of more than 50 faculty members and 200 graduate students and postdoctoral associates. Its shared laboratories are open-access facilities serving researchers across the University and industry users, run by three Laboratory Managers under the Technical Director. This Lab Manager will serve as the process engineer for the Optoelectronic Processing Facility (OPF), the Center's 2,500 sq ft cleanroom and most heavily used core facility, supporting more than 30 research groups. The position is the primary owner of OPF's plasma etch tools (ICP-RIE, ICP-DRIE, and RIE) and of the class 100 photolithography area, whose primary exposure tool is a maskless direct-write aligner. It shares management of OPF with the OPF Lab Manager and reports to the Technical Director. Etch process expertise is the defining requirement. OPF's users depend on characterized, reproducible dry-etch processes and on expert diagnosis when a process or tool drifts; the successful candidate will be comfortable developing and troubleshooting processes on any modern plasma etch platform. Candidates with strong etch experience but limited lithography background are encouraged to apply.

Required Skills

Experience Required:

• Demonstrated development, characterization, and troubleshooting of plasma etch processes (ICP-RIE and/or DRIE), including fluorine- and chlorine-based chemistries and deep silicon etching.
• Working understanding of plasma physics and etch chemistry, and hardware aptitude with vacuum, RF, and gas-delivery systems.
• Familiarity with photolithography fundamentals and process integration across lithography, etch, and deposition. 
• Working knowledge of cleanroom protocols and laboratory safety, including hazardous gases and corrosive chemicals.
• Ability to train users of varying experience, strong communication skills, and a service-oriented approach to a diverse research community.
• 3-5 years in semiconductor or MEMS process engineering or cleanroom operations, with substantial hands-on responsibility for plasma etch process development.
• Graduate research involving comparable instrumentation will be recognized as relevant experience. 

 

Experience Preferred:

• Experience in a multi-user academic core facility, foundry, or shared cleanroom; maskless or contact lithography; atomic layer etching; thin-film metrology; vendor and service-contract coordination.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, materials science, physics, chemical engineering, or a related field required; Master's or PhD preferred.

 

Required Experience