Apogee Enterprises, Inc. · 12 hours ago
Sr Engineer, Thin Film Coatings
Faribault, MN
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$100K/yr - $115K/yr
5+ years expApogee Enterprises, Inc. is a leading company in providing metal and glass solutions for commercial buildings and picture framing applications. They are seeking a highly skilled Senior Thin Film Coatings Engineer to lead the development and optimization of coated products, focusing on Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) and Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) processes.
Building Material
Responsibilities
Lead projects through new product introduction (NPI) processes including prototyping, testing, and production validation
Work with suppliers and customers to ensure component compatibility and quality standards
Design, develop, and optimize PVD and PECVD vacuum deposition and sputtering processes for coatings on various substrates (glass, acrylic, polycarbonate)
Integrate PECVD/PVD layers with multilayer stacks (e.g., AR coatings, barrier stacks, TCOs) for optical, mechanical, or barrier performance
Conduct process stability studies to improve reproducibility and film uniformity across large-area substrates
Conduct thin film characterization (optical, mechanical, structural) and interpret data to drive continuous improvement
Develop and refine layer stacks, deposition parameters, and process recipes to meet optical and durability specifications
Perform troubleshooting and root cause analysis for coating non-uniformities, adhesion issues, and equipment performance
Maintain and improve vacuum deposition equipment; assist with preventive maintenance and calibration of tools
Collaborate with cross-functional teams in materials science, process engineering, and product design to transition R&D processes into production
Prepare detailed technical documentation, experimental reports, and contribute to intellectual property filings
Support scale-up and pilot line testing of new coating technologies
Qualification
Required
B.S. degree in Materials Science, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering or a related field required
5+ years of experience in PVD &/or PECVD coatings research and development for glass, acrylic and other polymer products
Hands-on experience in vacuum deposition, sputtering, or thin film process development, especially PVD or PE-CVD processes
Strong working knowledge of vacuum system components (pumps, gauges, valves)
Strong working knowledge of process gases and pressure control
Strong working knowledge of substrate cleaning and surface preparation
Proficiency in data analysis, DOE (Design of Experiments), and process optimization
Experience with optical, mechanical, or chemical characterization techniques (e.g., UV-Vis, ellipsometry, XRD, XPS, SEM, profilometry)
Understanding of scaling R&D processes to production environments
Strong technical writing and documentation skills
Demonstrated ability to innovate, file patents, and contribute to new product development
Preferred
M.S. or Ph.D
Experience in new product introduction and project management
Understanding of surface pretreatment techniques (O₂ plasma, corona, UV-ozone) to enhance adhesion on polymer or glass substrates
Familiarity with coating processes for polymer substrates (e.g., adhesion layers, temperature control)
Preferred experience developing multi-layer optical coatings (Anti-Reflective, mirror, protective, conductive, etc.)
Preferred familiarity with adhesion-promoting interlayers and stack integration (e.g., SiO₂/SiNₓ, SiNₓ/ITO)
Benefits
Competitive Benefits Package for employees and their dependents (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability)
Incentive Plans
401(k) with employer contribution and match
Employee Stock Purchase Plan with employer match
Paid Time Off (Vacation and Sick Time)
Paid Holidays
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Wellness Program
Training and Career Progression
Company
Apogee Enterprises, Inc.
By definition, Apogee means "highest point." It's no coincidence that it's also the name of our company.
5001-10000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
unknown1978-01-13IPO
Leadership Team
Donald Nolan
Chair of the Board
Mark R. Augdahl
Chief Accounting Officer (CAO)
Recent News
2026-01-22
Company data provided by crunchbase