What are the responsibilities and job description for the Material Processing Lead Technician position at Infrared Associates Inc part of VIGO Photonics Corporation?
Job Title: Material Processing Lead Technician
Location: VIGO Photonics USA, Stuart, Florida
Department: Material Processing
Position Type: Full-Time, On-Site, 1st shift
Reports To: Lead Materials Engineer
Position Summary:
We are seeking a skilled and technically sound Lead Technician with a strong foundation in chemistry and hands-on manufacturing experience to join our team supporting Line 2 at the Stuart facility.
In this role, you will provide day-to-day technical leadership and direction to the material processing team while performing hands-on processing of HgCdTe semiconductor wafers, a critical material used in the production of high-quality infrared detectors.
The Lead Technician will be responsible for organizing daily work activities, ensuring team members follow established processes and safety standards, and maintaining efficient production flow. This position will also perform detailed manual processing tasks and make precise process-control adjustments where chemical properties, equipment conditions, and process variables directly influence the quality and performance of the final products delivered to our customers.
The ideal candidate will lead by example, promote a strong safety and quality culture, support technician training and development, and work closely with engineering and production leadership to identify and resolve process issues.
Key Responsibilities
● Physical material processing: Practice chemical procedures according to the process instructions.
Continuous process monitoring: Monitor chemical feeds, fluid dynamics, or material reactions on the line, making precise adjustments to keep production within strict chemical and physical tolerances.
● Preventive & corrective maintenance: Perform scheduled preventative maintenance (PMs), predictive tasks, and rapid-response repairs during unexpected stoppages in the area of material processing.
● Diagnostics & troubleshooting: Systematically diagnose root causes of malfunctions and faults, and process deviations related to chemical raw material variances.
Collaboration & safety compliance: Work closely with other team members and strictly adhere to and enforce chemical handling / safety protocols and other rules.
● Team leadership & coordination: Provide day-to-day technical leadership and direction to small team of material processing technicians, ensuring work is performed efficiently, accurately, and in accordance with established procedures.
● Training & development: Support the training and development of technicians on processing procedures, equipment operation, chemical safety, troubleshooting, and proper response to process deviations.
Qualifications & Technical Skills
● Education (Chemistry & Technical): Bachelor’s or Associate Degree in Chemistry, Chemical Technology, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related scientific field OR a Technical Diploma/Apprenticeship in Industrial Maintenance combined with significant, verifiable coursework/certifications in general or industrial chemistry.
● Experience: 2–5 years of experience working as a technician in manufacturing, chemical processing, pharmaceutical, or other industrial environment.
● Technical Skills: Proficient in reading mechanical blueprints. Familiarity with tracking chemical inputs or physical variables (temperature, pressure, pH, viscosity).
● Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead a technical team and coordinate daily work activities.
Physical Requirements & Work Environment
● Comfort working in an active industrial environment around production machinery and chemical processing equipment.
● Strict adherence to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements, including safety glasses and chemical-resistant gear when handling process materials.
What We Offer
● Competitive hourly wage.
● Comprehensive Benefits Package: Medical insurance with the company paying 75% of the premium. Dental and Vision insurance are available at the employee’s expense. Includes 401(k) with company match and Paid Time Off (PTO). Short-Term Disability (STD), Long-Term Disability (LTD), and Life Insurance are provided at no cost to the employee
● Dedicated career progression pathways into specialized process technician or engineering tracks.
● Workplace focused on open and collaborative atmosphere