We are seeking a hands-on, I&C technician who enjoys working with materials, instrumentation, electro-/mechanical systems, and characterization tools - someone who values precision, documentation, and evolving lab processes.
Responsibilities- Provide electrical, instrumentation, and controls technician support to lead engineers, scientific, and technical staff, utilizing hand and CAD tools where design parameters and specifications have been established
- Build and manage large, complex electrical CAD assemblies for custom electrical equipment and fixtures, electrical enclosures, and instrumentation/hardware from engineer-provided concepts, sketches, and verbal direction
- Perform interference checks, fit studies, and assembly verification to identify issues before fabrication
- Produce detailed 2D engineering drawings with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing
- Generate accurate bills of materials (BOMs), drawing packages, cut sheets, and RFQ-ready documentation to support procurement and fabrication
- Perform basic calculations using standard engineering formulas to support dimensioning, fitment, and material selection
- Interpret electrical drawings and other technical information
- Maintain systems documentation, bill-of-materials, and drawing archives to keep documentation current, visible, and traceable
- Manage CAD file organization, naming conventions, and revision control
- Incorporate redlines and design changes from engineers, updating models and drawings through revision cycles
Qualifications & SkillsRequired:
- Bachelor's degree (or equivalent lab experience) in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, or related field (or strong background in mechatronics, electronics, solid-state, materials processing, inorganic chemistry)
- Hands-on instrumentation & controls experience, preferably low-voltage (24VDC) wiring and controls enclosure fabrication
- Experience in wiring and integrating mass flow controllers (MFCs), pressure transducers, solenoid valves, thermocouples, and various control instrumentation and hardware
- Familiarity with AutoCAD (preferably electrical), redlining schematics, and building to print
- Experience selecting appropriate electrical supplies, wire/cable, enclosure components (e.g. relays, circuit-breakers, terminal blocks)
- Experience with digital multi-meters (DMMs), volt meters, and current measuring devices
- Experience with Lock-Out-Tag-Out (LOTO) safety practices and procedures
- Strong attention to detail, record-keeping, and job/task documentation
- Comfort with physically wiring various digital and analog input/output devices, lab instrumentation, and controls fieldbuses (e.g., EtherCAT, RS-232/-485, Modbus)
- Good documentation skills, ability to follow protocols, and write clear notes/task summaries
- Flexibility and ability to adapt to evolving processes and workflows typical of a startup/ research-oriented lab
Preferred Qualifications- Experience with superconducting / magnetic materials, cryogenic sample handling, and magnetometry or resistivity measurements
- Experience with vacuum systems, gloveboxes, and inert atmosphere processing
- Familiarity with lab automation, data logging, or LIMS/LES systems integration
- Comfort troubleshooting instruments or basic electro-/mechanical maintenance
- Familiarity with NFPA70 (NEC), UL508A, or NFPA79
- Familiarity with Beckhoff IPCs, input/output modules, and EtherCAT fieldbus
- Familiarity with ASME Y14.5 standards
What You'll Gain- Hands-on experience working at the cutting edge of materials discovery (superconductors, novel compounds)
- Exposure to a broad set of material characterization techniques and workflows (from synthesis to cryogenic measurements)
- Opportunity to help build lab SOPs, workflows, and influence lab design and automation controls development/deployment strategy
- Collaborative environment with scientists, engineers, and automation experts - good learning and growth potential
- Satisfaction of bridging materials science, synthesis, measurement, and data-driven R&D
- Hands-on experience designing, fabricating, and troubleshooting cutting-edge electrical systems for laboratory instrumentation and automation
Mechanics- Minimum education: Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education, training, or experience
- Location: Menlo Park, CA
- Compensation: The annual compensation range for this role is $124,000-$153,600
- Role Type: Full-time / Contractor
