Job Details

Prototyping Engineer

Position Number: 7199576
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Position Type: Engineering - Electrical

Prototyping Engineer

University of California Santa Barbara

Job Posting Details

Position Number: 41242900

Payroll Title: RSCH AND DEV ENGR 3 TX (004758)

Job Code: 004758

Job Open Date: 05/29/2026

Application Review Begins: 06/15/2026

Department Code (Name): ELEG (ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEER)

Percentage of Time: 100

Union Code (Name): TX-Technical Professionals

Employee Class (Appointment Type): Staff: Career

FLSA Status: Exempt

Classified Indicator Description (Personnel Program): PSS

Salary Grade: STEPS

Pay Rate/Range: The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $100,000 to $130,000/year. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience; the budget for the position; and the application of fair, equitable, and consistent pay practices at the University. The full salary range for this position is $85,400 to $156,800/year.

Work Location: Protofab at OASIS

Working Days and Hours: M - F, 8am-5pm

Benefits Eligibility: Full Benefits

Special Instructions:

For full consideration, please include a resume and a cover letter as part of your application.

Department Marketing Statement:

An initiative of UC Santa Barbara's College of Engineering, OASIS is an off-campus innovation facility housing shared-use experimental and product-development facilities, multi-PI research centers, and incubation space for startup companies. Work conducted in the facility spans semiconductors, batteries, AI, biomaterials, synthetic biology, microelectronics, photonics, and advanced packaging. OASIS serves students, staff, faculty, external collaborators, startup companies, industry partners, and other stakeholders advancing translational research and commercialization.

Benefits of Belonging

Working at UC means being part of this vibrant institution that shines a light on what is possible. People make UC great, and UC recognizes your contributions by making this a great place to work. Excellent retirement and health are just one of the rewards. Learn more about the benefits of working at UC

Brief Summary of Job Duties:

The Protofab Packaging Engineer supports operation, development, and growth of the OASIS advanced packaging and prototyping facility (Protofab). The position provides technical expertise in microelectronics, photonics, and optoelectronic device packaging, enabling researchers and external users to translate device concepts into functional packaged prototypes. Responsibilities include process development, hands-on operation of advanced packaging equipment, user support and training, equipment maintenance, documentation, and continuous improvement of facility capabilities.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
1-3 years Semiconductor packaging, microfabrication, device prototyping, or closely related engineering environment.
Knowledge of engineering principles and methods for prototype development and process optimization.
Ability to independently troubleshoot tools, processes, and assembly challenges.
Experience developing SOPs, recipes, training materials, and technical documentation.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with technical and non-technical users.
Ability to train users and communicate safe operating practices.
Strong organizational skills with ability to prioritize multiple projects.
Collaborative mindset with faculty, students, startups, vendors, and industry partners.
Familiarity with laboratory safety, hazardous materials handling, ESD controls, and quality systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's Degree - Semiconductor fabrication, packaging, photonics, or related engineering discipline
4-6 years Hands-on Experience: Operation of die bonders, wire bonders, fiber alignment systems, optical assembly tools, reliability systems, or similar equipment. Preferred
4-6 years Industry Experience: Photonics, optoelectronics, or advanced package development in research or production environments. Preferred
Experience with photonics or optoelectronic packaging design preferred.

Special Conditions of Employment:

Satisfactory criminal history background check
UCSB is a Tobacco-Free environment

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:
As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Job Functions and Percentages of Time:

50% Process Development - Develop, optimize, validate, and release process recipes, machine parameters, and workflows for advanced packaging and prototyping tools. Update processes for new materials, new device architectures, and user requirements. Partner with internal and external stakeholders on design of experiments (DOE), characterization plans, and process integration activities. Evaluate new tooling, materials, and methods to expand facility capabilities.
30% User Support and Training - Train and certify users on equipment operation and safe laboratory practices. Provide technical consultation on packaging strategies, materials selection, assembly flows, reliability considerations, and prototype feasibility. Perform hands-on assembly and packaging work for users requiring staff support services.
10% Operations and Maintenance - Monitor tool readiness, consumables inventory, and facility functionality. Coordinate preventive maintenance, vendor service visits, calibrations, and repairs. Troubleshoot process excursions, equipment faults, and user-reported issues to minimize downtime.
10% Documentation and Compliance - Maintain SOPs, process documentation, maintenance logs, training records, and internal operating procedures. Support implementation of safety programs, regulatory compliance, quality practices, and facility policies. Contribute to continuous improvement of Protofab operations.

UC Vaccination Programs Policy:

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccinations Programs.
As a condition of Physical Presence at a Location or in a University Program, all Covered Individuals* must participate in any applicable Vaccination Program by providing proof that they are Up-to-Date with any required Vaccines or submitting a request for Exception in a Mandate Program or properly declining vaccination in an Opt-Out Program no later than the Compliance Date (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.). Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

For more information, please visit University of California Policy on Vaccinations - https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/VaccinationProgramsPolicy

*Covered Individuals: A Covered Individual includes anyone designated as Personnel or Students under this Policy who physically access a University Facility or Program in connection with their employment, appointment, or education/training. A person accessing a Healthcare Location as a patient, or an art, athletics, entertainment, or other publicly accessible venue at a Location as a member of the public, is not a Covered Individual.

Equal Employment Opportunity:
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Reasonable Accommodations:
The University of California endeavors to make https://jobs.ucsb.edu accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Katherine Abad in Human Resources at 805-893-4664 or email katherine.abad@hr.ucsb.edu. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

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Application Status: If you would like to check the status of your application, please log into the Candidate Gateway where you applied and click on 'my activities'.

To apply, please visit: https://careerspub.universityofcalifornia.edu/psc/ucsb/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&JobOpeningId=86485&PostingSeq=1&SiteId=31&languageCd=ENG&FOCUS=Applicant