Benefits:
Competitive salary
Training & development
InterAction24 is hiring a full-time Crystal Growth Process Engineer for an advanced piezoelectric materials manufacturer in central Pennsylvania (State College area). This is a direct-hire, 1st shift position.
Growing single crystals is not a job that exists in many places. This is one of them, and it is the core of what this company makes. You will own production of single crystals grown by the vertical Bridgman method, crystals that end up inside medical ultrasound systems, semiconductor equipment, and industrial sensors. Roughly half your time supports government-sponsored process development, so the work is funded, documented, and at the frontier of the field.
If you have grown crystals, run furnaces, or studied crystal growth, this is a place where that is the whole job.
WHAT YOU WILL OWN
Develop, document, and implement production methods for single-crystal growth of piezoelectric materials
Plan, execute, and evaluate growth test runs, then analyze results and drive process improvement
Spend roughly 50 percent of your time on government-sponsored process development, including reporting and program compliance
Correlate raw material properties with growth parameters and final crystal attributes to define the best process
Apply statistical methods, including control charts and data correlation, to monitor and optimize production performance
Investigate quality issues, customer-initiated and internal, document findings, recommend corrective actions
Prepare technical reports and process documentation, and maintain records in the quality management system
Collaborate across production, quality, and R&D to make crystal growth reliable and scalable
WHAT YOU NEED
BS in Materials Science or Chemical Engineering preferred. Degrees in Physics or a related science will absolutely be considered
U.S. Person status is required: U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. This role involves export-controlled technical data and government program requirements, so we cannot consider candidates who do not meet this
Strong written and verbal communication. Writing up what you found is a real part of the job
Comfortable in a manufacturing environment, reading process documentation, schematics, and blueprints
Self-motivated and safety-oriented, able to work independently with minimal supervision
A PLUS, NOT REQUIRED
MS or PhD
Hands-on crystal growth experience: Bridgman, vertical gradient freeze, Czochralski, furnace operation, boule handling or sectioning
Six Sigma, applied statistics, or LEAN manufacturing
Minitab, and Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access
Three or more years in a manufacturing environment
Degree level and years of experience are flexible here. A recent graduate whose research was crystal growth is a real candidate, and so is a process engineer who learned furnaces on the floor.
WHY THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT Single-crystal growth is a small world, and many who do it well learned it somewhere that no longer does it. This role pairs established production with government-funded development, on a team where one engineer can genuinely change how the process runs. Central Pennsylvania offers a low cost of living and college-town quality of life, and the company offers a supportive team environment with real room to grow.
WORK ENVIRONMENT Manufacturing environment. Must be able to manipulate parts weighing up to 50 lbs. Occasional travel to customers or vendors.
HOW TO APPLY Apply with your resume. If your crystal growth experience is not obvious from your job titles, tell us: a short note on the growth methods, materials, and furnaces you have actually worked with will get you reviewed faster.
InterAction24 is a family-owned, NMSDC-certified minority woman-owned staffing firm placing engineering and technical talent across manufacturing and industrial clients. Our client is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Every application is reviewed by a person on our team.