Position Purpose/Summary:
The R&D Etch Engineer II drives the etch development for new/next-generation optical devices and technologies, high volume manufacturability, sustaining production tools/processes as needed, optimizes device profiles, optimizes device performance and yield related to the etch process, performs etch characterizations using DOEs etc., and as needed act as technical lead for new product qualification and phase reviews as well as RNSOs.
Essential Duties:
- Act as process owner for wet/dry etch across oxide, metal, polysilicon, and advanced materials.
- Design, optimize, and execute advanced semiconductor and optical process flows.
- Direct complex lithography and etch modifications (e.g., Silicon pillars, 50nm Silicon ribs for UV applications, and ALD master bias corrections) to optimize optical performance.
- Troubleshoot complex manufacturing constraints and problems on specialized etch tools, such as wafer clamping on non-standard substrate thicknesses (e.g., 1.6mm fused silica).
- Translate client requirements into viable engineering options and product specifications, collaborating directly with Sales, Account Management, and external foundries.
- Coordinate technical feedback loops with end-customers using data generated from Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and KLA inspection/metrology platforms.
- Secure and maintain company intellectual property by drafting patents and identifying novel manufacturing methods in meta surfaces, polarizers, and optical overcoats.
- As needed lead high-priority optical product development cycles through formal phase-gate review systems, moving projects successfully from R&D into production readiness (Phase 1 through Phase 4 release).
- Author and control process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA) documents and risk mitigation strategies in alignment with ISO 9001 and corporate Quality Assurance standards.
- Establish milestones, close out critical design review action items, and author engineering data summaries for pre-production pilot line runs.
- Apply Lean Six Sigma methodologies, Statistical Process Control (SPC), Design of Experiments (DOE), and JMP software to drive data-based yield improvements and root-cause analysis (CAPA).
- Other relevant duties as assigned
Key Competencies:
To perform the job successfully, an individual must demonstrate the following competencies to perform the essential functions of this position.
- Thorough knowledge of advanced dry/wet etch advanced dry/wet etch techniques.
- Operational Skills: Certifications or extensive experience in Lean Six Sigma, SPC, DOE, JMP statistical software, and ISO 9001 frameworks.
Education and Experience:
- Bachelors or advanced degree (Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Microelectronics, Optical Engineering, or a highly related discipline).
- 7+ years of hands-on experience in semiconductor fabrication, and advanced dry/wet etch engineering, with a proven track record of transitioning deep-tech innovations from R&D to High-Volume Manufacturing (HVM).