The Materials Research Laboratory (MRL) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is seeking a highly motivated Research Scientist to work in its new quantum fabrication facility. The Research Scientist will serve as a member of the MRL Central Research Facilities staff, with responsibilities focused on the Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center (IQUIST). They will focus on supporting the facilities and instrumentation needed to design and build superconductor-based qubit circuits, training users, and engaging in collaboration with various local and regional users on active research projects to improve qubit circuit and device performance.

The successful candidate will become a member of the dedicated staff of approximately 20 scientists and engineers, who maintain major research instruments in the MRL’s core facilities for electron microscopy, soft materials characterization, scanning probe microscopy, laser and optical spectroscopy, surface analysis, x-ray diffraction, and nanofabrication facilities including two cleanrooms. Approximately 1,000 researchers from across our campus as well as other academic institutions, industry, and national laboratories use the facilities, logging more than 80,000 user hours annually. The lab is recognized as one of the premier mid-sized user facilities in the nation. For details, please visit us online at mrl.illinois.edu/facilities. To learn more about IQUIST, please visit us online at iquist.illinois.edu.

The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or veteran status. For more information, visit go.illinois.edu/EEO.

Responsibilities include:

• Prepare and deliver primary and advanced training on the various techniques and instrumentation available in the quantum fabrication facility, particularly in electron-beam deposition and sputtering of superconducting films.
• Actively participate in research developing recipes for deposition of superconducting films and Josephson junctions. Recipe development will involve basic characterization techniques such as room temperature resistance measurements and Tc measurements.
• Formulate, compile, and distribute suitable suggestions for documentation improvements for collective staff scientist review. Incorporate approved modifications into training documents and procedures. This includes the creation of video and multimedia tutorials.
• Perform routine preventative maintenance tasks which vary daily, monthly, and annually for assigned laboratory instrumentation. Examples include daily checks to ensure instruments are running correctly; monthly proactive checks to ensure fabrication recipes maintain the correct parameters; annual maintenance service on vacuum pumps and supporting mechanical equipment.
• Identify hazards and/or potential failure modes by comparing equipment usage and performance to establish safety protocols while conducting user training or performing maintenance. If the equipment is not operating within tolerances or any engineering safety controls are malfunctioning, determine corrective actions to hardware, operating procedures or user training in conjunction with the assigned staff scientist and implement the changes.
• Cross-train in other facility techniques in order to act as backup for other staff members and increase knowledge and experience.
• Give oral presentations to large audiences, including recording training material for media outlets, and online, live video streaming.
• Perform facility-wide safety tasks as assigned.
• Conduct department or campus specified lab inspections for assigned operating areas and participate in reviews of non-assigned areas as requested.
• Assume additional responsibilities to promote the unit’s mission as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in engineering, physics, or related field.
• Broad knowledge of superconductivity.
• Demonstrated experience with the operation and maintenance of high-vacuum systems and metal deposition systems (evaporation and sputtering).
• Experience with deposition and characterization of high-quality superconducting films (such as Al, Nb, NbN, NbTiN, TiN, etc.)
• Experience with optical and e-beam lithography and work in a cleanroom environment.
• One year of experience overseeing the day-to-day safety and operation of a set of fabrication and deposition tools.
• One year of instructional/training experience delivering technical information in facility or instrumentation laboratories.
• Experience with laboratory safety protocols and requirements applied to vacuum deposition tools, device processing, and cleanroom environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and demonstrated ability to give presentations to large audiences.
• Excellent track record as team player.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), including operation, maintenance, repair of systems.
• Experience with fabrication and characterization of Josephson junction devices.
• Experience with quantum coherent Josephson junction devices such as superconducting qubits or parametric amplifiers.
• Familiarity with quantum coherence metrics such as resonator quality factors and qubit coherence times.
• Previous experience creating/developing instructional, instrument operation, and training material in qubit or quantum coherent circuits.
• Experience with reactive ion etching of metals.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring and/or teaching new facility users.
• Clean room and nanofabrication experience.
• Interest in working closely with students and contributing to research projects/proposals.

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible academic professional position appointed on a 12-month service basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. To apply, please complete a candidate profile at jobs.illinois.edu and upload the following as a single file: a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information for three professional references as a single PDF file by July 22, 2021. For further information regarding application procedures, contact Summer Redman at sredman@illinois.edu or 217-300-5400.

The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer. Convictions are not a bar to employment. The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit Policy on Consideration of Sexual Misconduct in Prior Employment.

As a qualifying federal contractor, the University of Illinois System uses E-Verify to verify employment eligibility. The University of Illinois must also comply with applicable federal export control laws and regulations and, as such, reserves the right to employ restricted party screening procedures for applicants.