Equipment Technician
Commonwealth Fusion Systems · Milpitas, CA
- Level
- Technician
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 16 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A technician-level manufacturing role at Commonwealth Fusion Systems (industrial) in Milpitas, CA. Assemble, operate, and maintain custom equipment used in the HTS and characterization lab.
- They ask for
- 5+ years
- Tools it names
- EHS / safety
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Technician roles in California: typical posted base $56k–$78k.
Median of the low and high ends of 10 live postings that list pay, out of 134 manufacturing technician openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 100 other live manufacturing postings in California.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Typical (5+ years)
Typical $84k–$121k, from 13 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Team leadership 40%
- Tooling 34%
- CNC 31%
- Machining 30%
- Lean 22%
- New product launch 21%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for EHS / safety, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
Full description from Commonwealth Fusion SystemsAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
What you'll do
- ◆Assemble, operate, and maintain custom equipment used in the HTS and characterization lab
- ◆Perform mechanical and electrical troubleshooting across vacuum, thermal, and instrumentation systems
- ◆Support equipment integration, testing, and commissioning efforts in collaboration with engineers and vendors
- ◆Conduct preventive maintenance and servicing of roughing pumps, turbo pumps, cryopumps, and deposition chambers
- ◆Perform helium leak detection and support vacuum system upgrades, chamber modifications, and process hardware installations
- ◆Fabricate and repair cable harnesses, sensors, and custom fixturing
- ◆Use diagnostic tools (multimeters, vacuum gauges, RGA) to troubleshoot systems and support data collection
- ◆Maintain infrastructure, documentation, and compliance with safety protocols, SOPs, and industry standards (SEMI, OSHA)
- ◆Contribute to lab cleanliness, organization, and continuous process improvements
Requirements
- ✓Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs
- ✓Perform activities such as stooping, climbing, standing, or sitting for extended periods of time
- ✓Dedication to safety to mitigate industrial hazards that may include heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, and cryogenics
- ✓Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
About Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Commonwealth Fusion Systems is on a mission to deliver the urgent transition to fusion energy.
Combining decades of research, top talent, and new technologies, we’re designing and building commercially viable fusion power plants. And we're working with policymakers, suppliers, and many others to build the energy industry of the future.
We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised $4 billion of capital, making us the largest and leading fusion company in the world.
Now we’re looking for more thinkers, doers, builders, and makers to join us. People who’ll bring new perspectives, solve tough problems, and thrive as part of a team.
If that’s you and this role fits, we want to hear from you.
Join the power movement as an Equipment Technician
We are seeking a skilled, hands-on Equipment Technician to support the build, maintenance, and continuous improvement of advanced semiconductor vacuum equipment. This role will focus on thin-film deposition systems—particularly sputtering and evaporation tools—as well as supporting related infrastructure in the HTS pilot line and characterization lab. You’ll work with complex vacuum systems, thermal processes, instrumentation, and large-scale assemblies in a fast-paced, R&D-driven environment.
Work: Sun, Mon, Tues + every other Wed OR every other Wed + Thu, Fri, Sat
First shift hours - 6:30 am - 6:45 pm
Second shift hours - 6:30 pm - 6:45 am
Rate of pay: $35 - $65
- •*Second Shift Differential - 15%
What we’re looking for
- •5+ years of hands-on experience supporting semiconductor, R&D, or manufacturing equipment
- •Strong background in vacuum systems (HV/UHV) including chamber assembly, component cleaning, and leak testing
- •Experience operating or maintaining thin-film deposition tools such as sputtering or evaporation systems
- •Skilled in servicing and refurbishing vacuum pumps (scroll, turbo, cryo)
- •Working knowledge of low- and high-voltage electrical systems, cable harness fabrication, and system wiring
- •Ability to troubleshoot electrical and instrumentation systems using bench tools and diagnostics equipment
- •Understanding of safety protocols including OSHA, LOTO, and PPE use in lab environments
- •Strong safety-first mindset and attention to detail in high-hazard environments
Bonus points for
- +Experience in pilot-line or production environments with thin-film deposition equipment
- +Knowledge of cryogenics, thermal control systems, and process gas delivery
- +Familiarity with SEMI equipment standards and maintenance tracking tools (CMMS, lab management software).
- +Basic CAD skills for reviewing and modifying mechanical and electrical designs
Must-have