MEMS Engineer

About the Role

Whether you’re talking about length, mass, time, temperature, electric current, amount or the brightness of light, the National Physical Laboratory sets the standards by which these things are all measured. At NPL, we touch ordinary lives in extraordinary ways and you could too.

As a specialist in your field, we’ll be looking to you stretch our capability and take our research to the next level. Developing and applying leading-edge knowledge, techniques and technology, your work will have a real impact to our business and the UK as a whole. With your passion for your area of expertise, you’re continually learning – all of which you’ll share with the broader to team to increase their knowledge as well. Not only do you know how to lead and conduct cutting-edge research, you also recognise what aspects of it could be commercially viable. This will help build our range of products and services. As a passionate advocate of your subject, you will represent NPL as needed in order to promote our work, raise our profile and position us as a world-leader. You’ll also help put together winning bids, in line with our growth strategy, and work collaboratively to develop partnership opportunities. We’d like to think it goes without saying that you will be ensure all our work is delivered to the very highest standards.

In line with significant organisational growth and transformation plans, NPL has a clear vision "to be an exemplary National Laboratory that undertakes excellent science and engineering and uses this to deliver extraordinary impact for the UK". We also clearly define our mission "to provide the measurement capability that underpins the UK's prosperity and quality of life".

We are looking for a research engineer/physicist with experience in the development of MEMS devices, to work in the Quantum Technologies area of NPL.

Quantum technologies have significant potential to revolutionise metrology, sensing, computing and simulation. NPL has developed novel microfabricated devices for trapping atomic particles which have leading performance characteristics. Our chip-scale ion traps will be used to create quantum-engineered states of atomic systems for applications in ultra-precise quantum metrology, atomic clocks and quantum sensors, as well as quantum processor nodes. Ultimately these ion microtraps will be a key enabling component in a wide variety of such applications. A vacancy exists for a physicist/engineer with microfabrication experience to work at the leading edge of this research and development.

The main focus of the job will include:

• Bulk MEMS microfabrication and processing in a cleanroom environment.
• Designing lithography masks.
• Design adaptations of existing tools for improved device fabrication.
• Coordinating the outsourcing of micro/nano fabrication jobs to external foundry facilities.
• Simulating electrical performance of chip-scale devices.
• Conducting test and measurement of radiofrequency devices.
• Working in collaborative projects with academic and industrial partners.
• Interfacing MEMS devices with micro-optical components.

About You

You are recognised as a specialist and leader in your field. No doubt this is supported by a strong scientific background, and a long list of successful research projects. If you’re published, even better . Beyond that, we’re looking for someone who’ll thrive in an environment like ours. At NPL we learn from each other, respect each other and work together to do better. For ourselves and for our customers. And whilst we’re always looking to stretch beyond what we know, we don’t make things more complicated when there’s no need. Together, we’re helping make the impossible, possible.
Skills and Experience required:

We are looking for a motivated individual who displays initiative and excellent problem solving skills. The successful applicant will be capable of working independently, managing their own workload and setting priorities, within a wider scientific project team.

Specific attributes required include:

• A PhD in a relevant area or an equivalent level of technical experience.
• Experience of MEMS device design and bulk micromachining.
• Experience of fabrication processes with multiple stages of lithography in a cleanroom environment.
• Experience of developing software for device simulation, and for device test & measurement.
• Willingness to present work at national and international conferences, scientific/technical meetings, and in peer-reviewed journals.

Desirable attributes:

• Knowledge of optics and optical interfaces.
• Cross discipline working to identify potential process and device improvements
About The Company
We’re transforming. As a national laboratory, we’re exploring even more commercial routes to market and that’s presenting us with greater opportunity – for you and us. Our success relies on the diversity and talent of our people, we strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued and supported to excel in their chosen field.This value is at the core of our organisation.

We believe in a culture of fairness by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, background or any other factor irrelevant to a person’s work. At NPL we are committed to the health and well being of our employees.Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of benefits(see our careers website for more information).

As part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we signed up to the Institute of Physics' Project Juno in 2015 as a Juno Supporter. NPL were proud to be awarded Juno Practitioner status in 2018. NPL also joined Stonewall as a Diversity champion in 2015, participating in their annual Workplace Equality Index for the equality of LGBT+ community at NPL. In 2018, NPL became a member of the Business Disability Forum and joined the disability confident scheme as level 1 committed employer.

To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.