TEM Application Expert

imec; Vlaams-Brabant; Sur place; EUR 65 000 - 95 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Imec in Leuven, Belgium, is seeking a TEM Application Expert to advance TEM methods and semiconductor materials characterization. You will join the TEM operations team in the FAB, contributing to in-line and off-line inspections across More-than-Moore and core semiconductor technologies.

The role requires a PhD or 5+ years of TEM experience, strong automation skills, and a collaborative mindset. You will develop automation recipes, work with cross-functional teams, and help drive throughput,

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s degree in science or engineering.
• Hands-on TEM and materials characterization experience.
• Experience in microscopy and semiconductor processes is important.
• Interest in programming/automation is a plus.
• Ability to plan, multi-task, and work independently.

Responsabilités

• Expert in TEM sample preparation and inspection.
• Design and optimize automation recipes for TEM workflows.
• Collaborate with application specialists, lab assistants, and managers.
• Co-own department targets for throughput, quality and innovation.
• Ensure timely intake and translation of customer needs into workflows.
• Validate customer requests for technical feasibility.
• Identify bottlenecks and drive corrective actions.
• Stay updated on TEM technologies and integrate into recipes.

Connaissances

TEM sampling

Automation workflows

Process optimization

Team collaboration

Technical communication

Quality improvement

English fluency

Formation

PhD or Master’s in science/engineering

Outils

TEM instruments

Automation software

Description du poste

As a TEM Application Expert –you’ll help us develop and fine-tune innovative processes for tomorrow’s chips. We go smaller than you’ve ever seen!

What you will do

You will be a member of the TEM operations team within the FAB. This team is responsible for both in-line and off-line electron microscopy inspections. These inspections play a crucial role throughout the technology development cycle, providing wafer-level characterization of processes and materials used in both More-than-Moore applications (such as MEMS, actuators, and sensors) and Core semiconductor technologies (including SRAM, MRAM, and 3D integration).

At the heart of our innovation is imec’s state-of-the‑art pilot line, one of the world’s most advanced semiconductor R&D environments. In this experimental production facility, we develop and validate next‑generation semiconductor manufacturing processes before transferring them to leading international chip manufacturers. By providing our customers with the knowledge and technologies needed to meet increasingly demanding requirements, we help drive innovation across the semiconductor industry.

To achieve this, we rely on our high‑tech cleanroom facilities and advanced characterization capabilities. We are currently looking for a highly skilled TEM Application Expert with a strong background in Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and semiconductor materials characterization.

The ideal candidate will have either a PhD in a relevant field or 5+ years of hands‑on experience in TEM applications and workflow optimization. In this role you will have the following key responsibilities:

• You are a technical expert in TEM sample preparation and inspection, with deep knowledge of the current capabilities and limitations of TEM tools, especially as applied to advanced semiconductor materials and structures.
• You will design, develop, and optimize automation recipes for TEM sample preparation and inspection workflows, ensuring high reproducibility, throughput, and quality.
• You actively collaborate with cross‑functional teams including application specialists, lab assistants, and operations managers to ensure smooth execution and continuous improvement of TEM services.
• You are a co‑owner of departmental targets, contributing to strategic goals such as throughput, quality, and innovation.
• You ensure high‑quality and efficient intake of first‑time requests, translating customer needs into actionable and well‑documented workflows.
• You serve as the primary point of contact for evaluating and validating documented customer requests, ensuring technical feasibility and alignment with available capabilities.
• You proactively identify efficiency bottlenecks and quality risks, and take initiative to implement corrective actions or propose process improvements.
• You stay up to date with emerging TEM technologies, automation tools, and semiconductor characterization techniques, and integrate relevant advancements into recipe development.

You will work in a dynamic multidisciplinary and multicultural environment in close cooperation with researchers, hardware and process engineers, industry assignees, tool suppliers, device‑and‑process experts.

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will define the society of tomorrow.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth.

We are aware that your valuable contribution makes imec a top player in its field. Your energy and commitment are therefore appreciated by means of a market appropriate salary with many fringe benefits.

Who you are

• You have a PhD and/ or master’s degree with relevant experience in science/engineering
• Experience in the field of microscopy and/or semiconductor process is very important
• You have a strong interest in programming/automation, which is a significant advantage
• You can plan and organize your work on your own
• You can work in a fast‑paced setting, multi‑task and prioritize assignments.
• You have good communication and organizational skills
• You are assertive and a good team player
• You will work in an alternating shift regime (early / late) and 1 out of 4 weekends
• You are a a communicative team player with a fluent knowledge of English