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Xenon Program Technician

💰 $65,000 - $95,000

EngineeringLaboratoryCryogenicsGas HandlingQuality Assurance

🎯 Role Definition

The Xenon Program Technician is responsible for the hands-on operation, preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, and documentation of xenon gas systems, cryogenic subsystems, and associated analytical instrumentation. This role ensures system uptime, gas purity, safety compliance, and reliable data capture to support research experiments, detector operations, or production processes that depend on high-purity xenon. The technician will interact daily with process engineers, scientists, quality teams, and external vendors to implement improvements, perform root-cause analysis, and maintain rigorous SOPs and logs.

Key SEO phrases: "xenon program technician", "xenon gas handling", "cryogenic technician", "high-purity xenon", "gas purification", "vacuum systems", "detector support", "instrument calibration", "leak detection", "lab safety compliance".

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Laboratory Technician (gas handling / cryogenics)
  • Field Service Technician (vacuum or cryogenic systems)
  • Manufacturing/Process Technician in high-purity gas or semiconductor industries

Advancement To:

  • Senior Xenon/Detector Technician
  • Process or Field Engineer (gas systems, cryogenics)
  • Lead Technician / Technical Supervisor for instrument fleets
  • Quality Assurance or Compliance Specialist for gas programs

Lateral Moves:

  • Cryogenics Specialist (research labs or industrial)
  • Vacuum Systems Technician
  • Instrumentation & Controls Technician (PLC/SCADA focus)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  1. Operate and maintain high-purity xenon gas systems including gas cylinders, pressure regulation, manifolds, and automated gas distribution networks to ensure continuous, safe supply for experiments and production.
  2. Execute preventative maintenance schedules for cryogenic systems (cryostats, pulse-tube coolers, liquid nitrogen/liquid xenon handling equipment) to maximize system reliability and minimize thermal cycling risks.
  3. Perform leak detection and remediation on gas and vacuum lines using helium leak detectors, mass spectrometers, and conventional pressure decay techniques to maintain required purity and vacuum levels.
  4. Monitor and control gas purification systems (getters, gas chromatography monitoring, cold traps) and adjust purification parameters to meet strict impurity specifications for xenon (e.g., O2, N2, H2O, hydrocarbons).
  5. Calibrate, verify, and maintain analytical instrumentation such as residual gas analyzers (RGA), gas chromatographs (GC), mass spectrometers, flow meters, and pressure transducers; document calibration records per SOP and QA requirements.
  6. Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation failures on xenon delivery and cryogenic systems using schematic diagrams, P&IDs, and diagnostic tools to restore operations with minimal downtime.
  7. Prepare xenon handling procedures, SOPs, and runbooks; update documentation after process changes and assist in developing emergency response procedures for gas or cryogenic incidents.
  8. Implement and maintain robust sample handling and gas transfer protocols (bottling, cryo-transfer, cold-finger operations), ensuring no contamination and strict chain-of-custody logging for xenon samples.
  9. Lead or support xenon inventory management including cylinder tracking, purity certification review, procurement coordination, and forecasting to ensure uninterrupted program supply.
  10. Maintain electronic logs and laboratory information systems entries for gas purity, pressure, temperature, and operational events, enabling traceability and supporting data analytics and post-run reviews.
  11. Collaborate with engineers to execute installation, commissioning, and acceptance testing of new xenon subsystems and cryogenic hardware, including FAT/SAT testing and vendor coordination.
  12. Support experiment or production runs by executing start-up and shut-down checklists, ramping cryogenic systems safely, and validating detector conditions pre- and post-run.
  13. Perform routine and emergency sample analysis, collecting gas samples for off-site testing or in-house analysis to verify impurities and isotopic composition when required.
  14. Manage hazardous materials handling and disposal tasks related to xenon system maintenance, cryogen spills, and contaminated components in accordance with OSHA, EPA, and company guidelines.
  15. Train and mentor junior technicians, visiting scientists, and operators on safe xenon handling, cryogenic safety, standard operating procedures, and emergency response best practices.
  16. Participate in root-cause failure analysis, post-mortem reviews, and corrective action implementation following deviations or system failures to drive continuous improvement.
  17. Support facility utilities interfaces (building chilled water, vacuum roughing pumps, compressed air systems, electrical distribution) to ensure cryogenic and vacuum infrastructure is operating within specified parameters.
  18. Perform mechanical repairs and component replacements on valves, pumps, piping assemblies, vacuum flanges, and cryogenic fittings, maintaining spares inventory and repair logs.
  19. Ensure compliance with internal quality systems, ISO procedures, and regulatory reporting requirements for gas handling, safety incidents, and equipment calibration data.
  20. Coordinate with procurement and vendor management to source specialized components (cryo-fittings, getters, pumps) and manage vendor service agreements, quotes, and RMA processes.
  21. Implement process controls and automation improvements (PLC or SCADA adjustments, sensor upgrades) to improve repeatability, gas conservation, and data capture for xenon operations.
  22. Support cross-functional project tasks such as experimental setup, detector swaps, and timeline-driven maintenance outages, contributing to efficient project execution and stakeholder communication.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Assist safety and EHS teams by participating in incident investigations, hazard assessments, and certification audits for cryogenic and compressed gas systems.
  • Provide input to budget planning for xenon program consumables, repairs, and capital equipment replacements.
  • Support outreach and vendor technical evaluations by preparing technical summaries, test reports, and acceptance criteria documentation.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • High-purity noble gas handling (xenon) and gas purification techniques (getters, cold traps, molecular sieves).
  • Cryogenic system operation and maintenance (cryostats, cryocoolers, liquid xenon/ nitrogen handling, thermal cycling).
  • Vacuum technology and maintenance (turbomolecular, scroll, and dry roughing pumps; vacuum bake procedures).
  • Leak detection methods including helium mass spectrometer testing, pressure decay, and tracer gas techniques.
  • Instrumentation calibration and diagnostics for mass spectrometers, residual gas analyzers (RGA), gas chromatographs (GC), flow controllers, and pressure sensors.
  • Piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) reading, mechanical assembly, and fitting of Swagelok and VCR/VCO components.
  • PLC/SCADA basics for process automation, data logging, and alarm management; familiarity with industrial control protocols (Modbus, Ethernet/IP) beneficial.
  • Root-cause analysis and preventative maintenance planning using CMMS tools and maintenance tracking systems.
  • Data capture, time-series analysis, and basic scripting or data tools (Excel advanced functions, Python or MATLAB basics preferred).
  • Compliance knowledge: OSHA hazardous materials handling, cryogenic safety standards, ISO quality systems, and hazardous waste procedures.
  • Experience with gas inventory management and coordination of cylinder logistics, vendor certificates of analysis, and special gas procurement.

Soft Skills

  • Strong attention to detail with a methodical approach to troubleshooting and documentation.
  • Effective written and verbal communication to prepare SOPs, calibration reports, and to liaise with engineers and vendors.
  • Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within cross-functional teams in fast-paced lab or production environments.
  • Proactive problem-solver and continuous improvement mindset, able to recommend and implement process/efficiency enhancements.
  • Flexibility to support shift work, on-call rotations, and urgent troubleshooting during off-hours when needed.
  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize multiple concurrent tasks while maintaining quality and safety.
  • Teaching and mentoring capability to develop junior technicians and disseminate best practices.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree or technical diploma in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Applied Physics, Chemistry, Instrumentation, or related technical discipline; OR equivalent hands-on experience with cryogenics and gas handling.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific/technical field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Mechanical Engineering Technology
  • Applied Physics or Engineering Physics
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Instrumentation & Control
  • Chemistry (Analytical/Physical)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2–7 years of hands-on experience supporting cryogenic systems, high-purity gas handling, and vacuum instrumentation.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of experience specifically working with xenon, noble gases, detector systems, or in semiconductor/medical gas environments with documented experience in leak detection, purification, and calibration processes.

If you would like, I can convert this into a concise job posting, an interview guide with sample questions tailored for Xenon Program Technician candidates, or a checklist for onboarding and training new hires.

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