Job Description
HRL Laboratories pioneers the next frontiers of physical and information science. Delivering transformative technologies in automotive aerospace and defense HRL advances the critical missions of its customers to help them remove limitations and create competitive advantage. HRL then transitions the work back to customers – ready for real-world application. For more than 70 years HRL’s rich portfolio of scientific discoveries and engineering innovations continues to build on each other — often in unexpected profound and far-reaching ways. As a private company owned jointly by Boeing and GM HRL prioritizes purpose over profit significantly advancing the state of the art.
HRL Laboratories advances critical structural and functional materials and semiconductor devices that enable precision navigation quantum technologies and extreme-environment performance. With expertise from design through deployment we deliver scalable high-performance solutions that transform our customers’ missions. Our work leverages digital manufacturing and scalable microfabrication techniques to meet tomorrow’s toughest challenges
HRL's compact high-performance MEMS IMUs are revolutionizing navigation systems by delivering reliable guidance in GPS-degraded environments. Engineered with navigation-grade precision these IMUs provide a cost-effective and scalable solution for automotive aerospace and other demanding applications where traditional GPS reliance falls short.
These innovations aim to deliver a first-of-its-kind navigation-grade component that combines reliability precision and affordability. By offering a viable alternative to traditional IMUs HRL's MEMS technology is advancing the capabilities of autonomous systems and enabling precise navigation in challenging environments.
Essential Duties:
• Innovative Collaboration: Collaborate with a team of scientists and engineers to develop advanced MEMS-enabled sensors and actuators for aerospace automotive and industrial applications driving innovation to redefine industry standards.
• Strategic Process Integration: Integrate new processes into scalable workflows ensuring seamless transitions from research to production while applying creativity and systems-level thinking.
• Device Design and Fabrication: Lead the design fabrication and testing of MEMS devices and subsystems ensuring they meet project requirements and are scalable for production.
• Experimental Development: Design and execute experiments to validate innovative MEMS technologies employing creative approaches to solve complex challenges and explore new possibilities.
• Precision Analysis: Perform wafer inspections and metrology to ensure quality and precision driving iterative improvements for both research-specific and scalable processes.
• Project Leadership: Manage critical project elements including timelines deliverables and resources ensuring successful execution and impactful outcomes that bridge research innovations with real-world applications.
Required Qualifications:
• Ph.D. or Master’s Degree in a physical science or engineering field with 5+ years of fabrication process experience in an R&D environment
• Proven Expertise in Process Development: Demonstrate strong skills in process development optimization design of experiments (DOE) statistical data analysis and innovative problem-solving to drive cutting-edge advancements
• Collaborative Team Environment: Strong verbal and written communication skills to thrive in a dynamic multi-disciplinary team and enable effective cross-laboratory collaboration
• End-to-End Fabrication Mastery: Ability to integrate diverse process recipes into seamless fabrication workflows while addressing process interdependencies to achieve high-performance results
• Hands-On Experience with Advanced Techniques: Proficiency in the following state-of-the-art technologies:
o Contact/stepper photolithography
o Wet and plasma dry etching
o High aspect-ratio deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) for silicon glass and other MEMS materials
o Chemical vapor deposition (CVD)
o Dielectric and metal depositions
o Wafer bonding and vacuum encapsulation of microscale structures
o Sacrificial and structural layer creation and wet/dry release processes
• Precision Metrology Skills: Expertise in using advanced tools such as optical/infrared microscopy interferometric measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with elemental analysis to ensure quality and precision.
• Innovative Design Expertise: Experience in designing and characterizing process control monitors (PCM) for in-process verification along with proficiency in creating and modifying mask layouts using industry-standard CAD software like L-Edit or Cadence
Preferred Qualifications:
• Hands-On Micro-Machining Experience: Experience with both surface and bulk micro-machining is highly desired.
• Fabrication Documentation: Strong ability to document fabrication experiments accurately and thoroughly.
• Back-End Wafer Processing: Experience in wafer grinding CMP die singulation and assembly processes into packages
• Data Analysis Proficiency: Familiarity with data analysis software such as JMP MATLAB or Python is a significant advantage
• Automation Skills: Experience in automating fabrication data collection and analysis
• Device Simulation Expertise: Knowledge of mechanical thermal or electrical Finite Element Analysis (FEA) modeling using tools like COMSOL or SolidWorks
• Inline Process Characterization: Experience in designing and conducting wafer or die-level electrical or optical process control monitor (PCM) testing
• Technical Proposal Development: Experience in writing technical proposals to present innovative research and development concepts
Physical Requirements:
Must be able to perform safely in a MEMS microfabrication cleanroom and follow standard operating practices
Special Requirements:
US Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a US Government security clearance
Compensation and Benefits:
- Pay Range: $140700 - $175950
- Our salary ranges are determined by role level and location (California). The range displayed on each job posting reflects the target range for new hire salaries for the position. Within the range individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors including job-related skills experience and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range during the hiring process.
- Benefits: HRL offers a generous and very competitive total compensation and benefits package. Our Regular/Full Time benefits include medical dental vision life insurance 401K match gym facilities PTO Sick time upward mobility and an exciting and challenging work environment.
- For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: https://www.hrl.com/careers/benefits
Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At HRL we are dedicated to building a diverse inclusive and authentic workplace so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.
If you would like more information about Equal Employment Opportunity as an applicant under the law please go to Employees & Job Applicants | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
For our privacy policy please visit: www.hrl.com/privacy
Skills Required
- Ph.D. or Master's Degree in a physical science or engineering field with 5+ years of fabrication process experience in an R&D environment
- Proven expertise in process development optimization design of experiments (DOE) and statistical data analysis
- Strong verbal and written communication skills for multidisciplinary team collaboration
- Ability to integrate diverse process recipes into end-to-end fabrication workflows
- Hands-on contact/stepper photolithography experience
- Experience with wet etching and plasma dry etching processes
- High aspect-ratio DRIE experience for silicon glass and MEMS materials
- Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) experience
- Dielectric and metal deposition experience
- Wafer bonding and vacuum encapsulation of microscale structures
- Experience creating sacrificial and structural layers and performing wet/dry release processes
- Precision metrology skills: optical/IR microscopy interferometric measurements SEM with elemental analysis
- Experience designing and characterizing process control monitors (PCM) and modifying mask layouts using L-Edit or Cadence
- Ability to perform safely in a MEMS microfabrication cleanroom
- US Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a US Government security clearance
- Hands-on surface and bulk micro-machining experience
- Strong fabrication documentation skills
- Experience with back-end wafer processing (wafer grinding CMP die singulation and assembly)
- Familiarity with JMP MATLAB or Python for data analysis
- Experience automating fabrication data collection and analysis
- Device simulation expertise (mechanical thermal electrical FEA) using COMSOL or SolidWorks
- Experience designing and conducting wafer or die-level PCM electrical or optical testing
- Experience writing technical proposals for R&D projects
What the Team is Saying





HRL Laboratories Compensation & Benefits Highlights
- Healthcare Strength—Health coverage includes multiple medical plan options (PPOs HMOs and an HDHP with HSA) employer‑paid vision employer HSA contributions an HRL‑funded HRA and an EAP. A $1000 medical waiver bonus and wellness resources augment the package’s depth.
- Retirement Support—Retirement benefits feature automatic day‑one enrollment a 100% company match on the first 4% of pay and an additional age‑based company contribution with a broad investment menu. This match‑plus‑contribution design provides meaningful long‑term savings support.
- Leave & Time Off Breadth—Time off includes about 14 paid holidays (often with a year‑end break) a PTO bank that grows with tenure up to 25 days and a separate sick‑time allotment of up to 80 hours. Separate sick time on top of PTO is specifically highlighted as a differentiator.
HRL Laboratories Insights
What We Do
HRL Laboratories LLC Malibu California (hrl.com) pioneers the next frontiers of physical and information science. Delivering transformative technologies in automotive aerospace and defense HRL advances the critical missions of its customers. As a private company owned jointly by Boeing and GM HRL is a source of innovations that advance the state of the art in profound and far-reaching ways.
Why Work With Us
Our success is the result of our collaborative team of researchers many of whom are the leading experts in their fields. Through their insights in support for our customers we are finding the unique opportunities in technology.
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Date Posted
07/02/2026
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