Job Title: Senior Research Scientist
Oak Ridge, TN, US, 37831
The Senior Research Scientist provides senior technical leadership for semiconductor radiation detector technology used in ORTEC gamma-ray spectroscopy and radiation measurement products, with primary emphasis on High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors. This role owns detector science, semiconductor process development, performance optimization, and long-term technology direction from research through manufacturable product implementation.
The Senior Research Scientist works closely with engineering, manufacturing, quality, product management, customers, suppliers, universities, and national laboratories to improve detector performance, expand technical capability, and strengthen ORTEC’s long-term product differentiation.
Key Responsibilities:
Technicial Research, Manufacturing, and Product Support
- Lead experimental programs for detector materials evaluation, device optimization, fabrication process improvement, and advanced detector concepts.
- Develop and improve semiconductor fabrication methods for detector manufacturing.
- Partner with manufacturing to improve detector yield, repeatability, reliability, throughput, process control, and final performance testing.
- Collaborate with electronics, mechanical, cryogenic, software, systems, manufacturing, and quality teams to optimize complete detector systems.
- Evaluate emerging detector materials, architectures, external research opportunities, and strategic partnerships relevant to ORTEC product strategy.
- Represent ORTEC in technical reviews, high-value customer discussions, scientific conferences, internal leadership reviews, and technology roadmap discussions.
Education / Experience:
- PhD required in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related scientific discipline.
- Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in semiconductor detector development, semiconductor fabrication, detector materials research, radiation detection technology, or advanced semiconductor process development.
- Demonstrated experience with semiconductor fabrication and process techniques
- Record of technical accomplishment through commercial product impact, patents, publications, conference presentations, funded research, or recognized scientific contribution preferred
Required and Preferred Qualifications:
- Deep understanding of semiconductor physics, HPGe or other semiconductor detector technology, gamma-ray interactions, charge transport, trapping, leakage mechanisms, charge collection, cryogenic operation, and detector performance characterization.
- Experience with detector metrics including energy resolution, efficiency, noise, and long-term stability.
- Strong experimental design, data analysis, root-cause investigation, technical documentation, and evidence-based decision-making skills.
- Ability to balance scientific depth with manufacturability, schedule, cost, quality, reliability, and customer application requirements.
- Strong communication and technical leadership skills with the ability to influence across R&D, manufacturing, quality, product management, sales, customers, and external research organizations.
- Preferred experience includes direct HPGe detector development, gamma-ray spectroscopy instrumentation, crystal growth or impurity control, detector modeling, regulated product development, or collaboration with national laboratories, universities, or government agencies.
- Ability to mentor scientists, engineers, and technical staff in detector physics, semiconductor process development, experimental methods, and performance analysis.
Other Requirements:
- Strong scientific judgment, technical curiosity, ownership mentality, and commitment to disciplined documentation, safety, quality, intellectual property protection, and continuous improvement.
- Ability to manage multiple research, process development, and product-support priorities simultaneously.
- Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required for customer, supplier, research, or conference engagements.
About the Business Unit:
Headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, ORTEC is part of Advanced Measurement Technology (AMT) within the Materials Analysis Division of AMETEK, Inc. ORTEC is a global leader in the design and manufacture of precision radiation detectors, nuclear instrumentation, analysis software, and integrated measurement systems. Founded in 1960 by scientists from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORTEC has built a long-standing reputation for technical excellence, reliability, and innovation in nuclear measurement solutions.
ORTEC’s product portfolio includes high purity germanium (HPGe) radiation detectors, scintillation detectors, digital spectrometers, analysis software, and turnkey spectroscopy systems used across homeland security, nuclear safeguards, health physics, waste assay, radiopharmaceuticals, and scientific research applications. ORTEC solutions are trusted by government agencies, nuclear facilities, research laboratories, universities, and industrial customers worldwide.
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Nearest Major Market: Knoxville