The Process Engineer is responsible for providing technical and sustaining engineering support within a semiconductor manufacturing environment. This role focuses on optimizing equipment and process performance, improving manufacturing efficiency, enhancing product yield and quality, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives. The engineer will leverage statistical methodologies, including Design of Experiments (DOE) and Statistical Process Control (SPC), to identify root causes of process variation and implement effective corrective actions. This position collaborates closely with manufacturing, product engineering, and development teams to ensure robust, scalable, and manufacturable processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot process excursions, performance shifts, and equipment-related issues to maintain stable manufacturing operations.

• Optimize equipment and process performance to ensure consistency across tools, maximize throughput, and improve overall manufacturing efficiency.

• Lead qualification activities for new equipment, raw materials, consumables, and process changes.

• Develop, implement, and monitor process and equipment performance metrics to drive quality and operational improvements.

• Conduct root cause investigations for yield loss, process deviations, and non-conforming material, and implement corrective and preventive actions.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on yield enhancement, quality improvement, cycle time reduction, and cost optimization.

• Analyze cycle time, equipment utilization, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) to identify opportunities for improved factory performance.

• Develop and maintain manufacturing procedures, specifications, and process documentation.

• Partner with manufacturing operations, equipment engineering, quality, and cross-functional teams to continuously improve factory performance and process capability.

• Utilize DOE, SPC, and data analysis techniques to identify process trends, reduce variability, and improve manufacturing outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Applied Physics, or a related engineering or scientific discipline.

• Strong understanding of thermal processing fundamentals, including: thermal oxidation, furnace and LPCVD deposition processes, dopant diffusion and activation, and thermal budget concepts and their impact on downstream process integration.

• Working knowledge of diffusion and furnace equipment operation, including temperature control, ramp profiles, gas-flow management, and recipe development.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret process and equipment data.

Preferred Qualifications

• Internship, co-op, research, or industry experience in semiconductor wafer fabrication, particularly within diffusion, thermal processing, or furnace operations.

• Familiarity with semiconductor manufacturing systems and quality tools, including equipment status/history tracking, lot routing, SPC dashboards, process monitoring systems, and DMR workflows.

• Experience applying structured problem-solving methodologies such as 8D, root cause analysis, corrective and preventive action (CAPA), or similar frameworks.

• Knowledge of statistical analysis techniques, DOE methodologies, and continuous improvement practices.

• Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.