Experience

WaferTech

• United States
• Semiconductor Manufacturing
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Process Engineer (Thin Film)

  • Jun 2018 - Present

  Responsible for maintaining and improving equipment and product quality within the thin film process. Responsible for maintaining and improving equipment and product quality within the thin film process.



Vertellus

• Commercial and Industrial Equipment Rental

• Process Engineer

  • Oct 2017 - Apr 2018

  At this facility, I managed a major project where I found the root cause of the batch dryer system’s inefficiency that cost the plant $100,000 in product loss yearly. I found that, by developing a program using VBA, I could characterize the heat transfer for each process step of the batch dryer system. This program could also trend the data back over 2 years so one could see the long-term effects of operations changes. Often changes which resulted in immediate increases in production would lead to reductions in cycle time over a long-term period. In this case, I proved how increasing the minimum operating temperature and the rate of temperature change would cause fouling by product at a greater rate, forcing the dryer to be shut down and wash out. My model ultimately improved dryer performance by solving for the minimum temperature in which fouling would not occur. Ultimately, the model eliminated unnecessary washouts and provided Vertellus a tool to track their changes. This also improves process safety by reducing damage to equipment and the number of occurrences in which operators need to perform a confined space entry within the dryer. I have a commitment to safety and have taken on several projects to address this at the Elma facility. This includes automating excel files by developing one-click emission reports which call data and performs calculations instantly. This saves 3 hours of work for the environmental engineer making these reports, decreases response time to environmental emission events, and reduces errors in calculations. In addition, I have taken on several projects to improve process safety around the facility by implementing flex lines to reduce stress on moving equipment, check valves to prevent clogs, and updating procedures with inherently safer methods of operation. By executing these tasks I hope to prevent injuries and uphold the reputation of Vertellus as a safe and efficient working environment. Show less



James Brozik Lab

• Lab Assistant

  • Jan 2016 - Dec 2016

  Jim Brozik's lab at WSU is focused on studying the thermodynamic properties of proteins and their interactions. For my project, I measured the diffusive properties of proteins embedded within a biologically relevant membrane via Laser-Optical Microscopy. For this project, P450 protein was embedded in a modified Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) membrane with labelled ATP. The labelled ATP molecules would bind with the proteins allowing us to see the protein under a microscope and track their movements. My role in this project was finding the ideal conditions for the protein to be within the membrane. I operated the FRAP laser and analyzed data calculating the diffusivity from what I saw under the microscope I also tracked the behavior of the proteins such as if protein crystallization occurred. This project allowed me to see some of the hurdles encountered within the pharmaceutical industry since often drugs are designed but cannot be transported into the cell where needed. By tracking protein behavior at different temperatures and pressures one can understand why a drug may not enter a cell. Show less



TUTORCARE.COM

• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chemistry Tutor

  • Jun 2016 - Aug 2016

  Over the summer of 2016, I tutored a student in General Chemistry II at Cascadia Community College in Bothell, Wa. The student I was tutoring was retaking the course and they had averages on the exams around 50%. I found the student had a good understanding of chemistry, however they had a limited understanding of algebra. I was able to teach the student methods of working through the math and understanding it and relating the equations to the theory. The student demonstrated noticeable improvement; their exam grades went from around 50% to around 87%. Ultimately, I found the experience to be very rewarding. Show less



Herbert Hill Research Group WSU

• Lab Assistant

  • Jun 2015 - Nov 2015

  As a research assistant for the Herb Hill Research lab I aided in optimizing a Drift Tube Ion Mobility Spectrometer (DTIMS) and a Differential Mobility Spectrometer (DMS). The purpose of this was so they could be used as breathalyzers for THC by law enforcement. Breath samples were collected in bulk from many different individuals who had eaten different meals throughout the day and may or may not have smoked marijuana. These samples would then be input into the DTIMS and DMS for analysis at different temperatures and pressures. Similar to a gas chromatograph, depending of the mass, shape, size, and charge of the species it will spend a certain amount of time passing through the instrument; this time could be converted into a measurement of THC. My role was then to take this data and analyze it to say if the THC could be noticed under different conditions using excel. I then wrote a function within VBA to do many of these tasks for me such as sort incoming user information such as age, sex, and other contaminants on their breath and perform calculations. Using this, I developed a database in Excel. I also troubleshoot the instruments. THC being large sticky compound and a solid at STP would build up withing the DMS appearing as if the concentration of THC was increasing with each trial . The instruments needed internal heating since we would only heat and pressurize the feed. This wasn't possible due to warranty so instead a heat traced insulating box was recommended set at the manufacturers recommended temperature. This research project gave me valuable incite for the field of analytical chemistry and the instruments used. It also allowed me to use VBA and make a valuable computational tool to benefit the lab. Show less