Cryogenic Measurement Technician

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants

Job Profile

Non Union Salaried - Engineering Technician 2

Job Title

Cryogenic Measurement Technician

Department

Technical Operations | Quantum Matter Institute | Faculty of Science

Compensation Range

$4,322.03 - $5,170.09 CAD Monthly

Posting End Date

August 28, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

September 14, 2026

Job Summary

The Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute at UBC (Blusson QMI) is a world-leading venture advancing research into solid state systems and phenomena that explicitly involve quantum mechanics. Among its core areas of expertise are the development of materials hosting novel quantum electronic states and measurement of nanoscale electronic and photonic structures built from these materials, whose device characteristics open remarkable new paradigms of operation.

Blusson QMI has invested heavily in acquiring and building state-of-the-art cryogenic systems, electronic test and measurement instrumentation, and both microwave and optical spectroscopy equipment. These are being used to develop novel devices for manipulating information encoded quantum mechanically.

The Cryogenic Measurement Technician is responsible for the operation and maintenance of various custom-integrated measurement tools, with the aim of delivering state-of-the-art cryogenic opto-electronic measurement capabilities to research groups at Blusson QMI.

To this end, the post holder, who should already have experience in low-temperature electronics, optics, and cryogenic systems, will be responsible for the assembly, maintenance, and operation of laboratory equipment. The individual is expected to work independently, with a proactive and creative spirit and in close collaboration with colleagues, in order to deliver what is required of the role.

The post holder also has a duty to ensure that all tasks conducted within Blusson QMI labs are performed in a safe manner that conforms to current legislation and workplace protocols.

Project details:
The research groups of the co-PI supervisors use a variety of cryogenic systems that include close-cycle dilution refrigerators, 300 mK and 2K top-loading probe cryostats, closed-cycle 1K and 4K vacuum cryostats, and 4K wet cryostats. These house custom-fabricated quantum devices that require electrical and optical connectivity ranging from DC, through microwave, to near infrared optical frequencies. These are connected to a variety of electrical and optical test and measurement instruments external to the cryostats (spectrum analysers, tunable microwave and optical sources, etc.) The general objective of the research projects is to develop new devices capable of generating, manipulating, and measuring information stored in some combination of electronic spin, current, and photonic degrees of freedom.

Organizational Status

The Cryogenic Measurement Technician reports to Joe Salfi, Jeff Young and Lukas Chrostowski, the Principal Investigators in related grant-funded projects. The post holder will work independently and pro-actively, and will be often required to collaborate closely with researchers.

Work Performed

The Cryogenic Measurement Technician will be responsible for building, maintaining, and operating apparatus that includes the ColdEdge Stinger Cryogenic System, Bruker Vertex-80 FT-IR spectroscopy system, a home-built tunable mid-infrared laser, and several custom-made probe stations. The technician will maintain all the equipment and be fluent in how each component functions and integrates with the others. They will also contribute to documentation of operation procedures and reports in relation to the equipment.

The following items reflect the most important tasks associated with the post. The list is not complete and may change as the role evolves with time. The technician:

- Follows the direction of the principal investigator in the building, set-up, and operation of test equipment.
- Works on a number of different projects, that includes internal and external stakeholders.
- Monitors the performance of equipment to ensure that this equipment remains accurate and perform to specifications.
- Offers time, skills, and expertise to other Blusson QMI labs and projects, as instructed by the principal investigator, and performs other tasks relevant to the job tasks, as required.
- Interacts with researchers and research partners, including discussing new projects, reporting on results, and coordinating work.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Errors in analyses could lead to incorrect interpretation of research results and prevent the attainment of research goals. Such errors would result in the loss of time and resources on behalf of the researchers. Improper operation of laboratory facilities and instrumentation could result in downtime that delays research and expensive damage to equipment.

Supervision Received
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