Engineering Team Lead - Deposition and Etch

Huawei Technologies Research & Development (UK) Ltd; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Huawei Research and Development UK Limited seeks a Team Leader to oversee daily operations in the deposition and etch cell, mentor engineers, and drive strategic execution aligned with business goals.

Responsibilities include setting KPIs, delivering on milestones, and coordinating with cross-functional teams to optimize processes and improve yields in a high-spec cleanroom environment.

Qualifications

• Degree or higher in a relevant engineering/physics field.
• 5+ years in semiconductor process engineering in a high-spec cleanroom.
• 3+ years of technical team leadership and mentoring.
• Strong knowledge of III-V materials and etch/deposition processes.
• Hands-on SEM/FIB-SEM for analysis and troubleshooting.
• Experience with DoE, SPC, and quality tools like 8D/FMEA.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of process engineers, technicians and cleanroom staff.
• Set KPIs, deliverables, and conduct performance reviews.
• Drive process development, optimization and equipment qualification.
• Collaborate with module leads and operations to meet targets.
• Ensure quality, safety and continuous improvement in the fab.

Skills

Team leadership

KPI management

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD in Materials Science, Physics, Semiconductor Technology, Engineering, or related field

Tools

RIE

ICP-RIE

PECVD

ALD

SEM

FIB-SEM

DoE

SPC

Job description

About Huawei Research and Development UK Limited

Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. We have 207,000 employees and operate in over 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world.

Our vision and mission is to bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. To this end, we will drive ubiquitous connectivity and promote equal access to networks; bring cloud and artificial intelligence to all four corners of the earth to provide superior computing power where you need it, when you need it; build digital platforms to help all industries and organizations become more agile, efficient, and dynamic; redefine user experience with AI, making it more personalized for people in all aspects of their life, whether they’re at home, in the office, or on the go.

This spirit of innovation has led Huawei to work in close partnership with leading academic institutions in the UK to develop and refine the latest technologies. With a shared commitment to innovation and progress, both parties have worked together to achieve common goals and establish a strong partnership. The partnership between UK and Huawei help to develop the technologies of the future that will transform the way we all communicate, work and live.

For the past 30 years we have maintained an unwavering focus, rejecting shortcuts and easy opportunities that don't align with our core business. With a practical approach to everything we do, we concentrate our efforts and invest patiently to drive technological breakthroughs.

This strategic focus is a reflection of our core values:

• Staying customer-centric,
• Inspiring dedication,
• Persevering,
• Growing by reflection.

Huawei Research and Development UK Limited Overview

Huawei’s vision is a fully connected, intelligent world. To achieve this, we work to inspire passion for basic research around the world. Our combined passion drives development across the global innovation value chain. Huawei has the largest Research and Development organization in the world with 96,000+ employees in research centers around the globe. In the UK, we already have design centers in Cambridge, London, Edinburgh and Ipswich. We continue to explore and define new research directions and new services. We have expanded our collaborations with academic researchers; researched new network architectures, integration of communications and key enabling technologies; and developed the fundamental theories of these technologies. We invite you to join us on this exciting journey and drive your career forward.

Job Summary

The Team Leader oversees daily team operations, talent development, and strategic execution to drive core business objectives within the deposition and etch cell.

• Team Leadership & Development: Guide daily operations, mentor team members, and foster professional growth.
• Operational Execution: Ensure high-quality, on-time delivery of team deliverables and project milestones.
• Process Optimization: Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and workflows.
• Strategic Collaboration: Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to align team goals with broader business strategy.

Responsibility

Team Leadership & People Management

• Direct Team Oversight: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of process engineers, technicians and cleanroom associates focused on deposition and etch operations within a high-specification semiconductor cleanroom.
• Goal & Performance Alignment: Set clear, measurable KPIs and deliverables aligned with customer milestones, conducting robust performance reviews and coaching to build operational resilience across multiple concurrent projects.
• Capability & Skills Development: Own the cell’s technical training and skills matrix to ensure sustained engineering capacity, adaptability, and career progression.
• Culture & Collaboration: Champion core behavioural standards, fostering an inclusive, high-collaboration, and innovative culture across cross-functional engineering and manufacturing teams.

Technical Execution & Process Engineering

• Advanced Cell Operations: Oversee process development and baseline stability for deposition and etch modules, specializing in precision III-V semiconductor materials.
• Tool & Recipe Development: Direct recipe development, optimization, and failure analysis utilizing RIE, ICP-RIE, PECVD, ALD, SEM, and FIB-SEM platforms.
• New Equipment & Technology Integration: Lead the qualification, installation, and baselining of new capital equipment and advanced process technologies alongside comprehensive standard operating documentation.

Quality, Data & Continuous Improvement

• Quality-First Framework: Embed a "quality first" standard across all product lifecycle stages, enforcing rigorous cleanroom safety protocols, change control and Out-of-Control Action Plans (OCAPs).
• Data-Driven Engineering: Drive empirical decision-making across the team using Design of Experiments (DoE), Statistical Process Control (SPC), Gauge R&R, and advanced statistical analysis (e.g., Minitab).
• Structured Problem Solving: Facilitate rapid root cause analysis and resolution for complex yield and reliability issues using 8D, pFMEA, and mFMEA frameworks.

Strategy & Stakeholder Coordination

• Strategic Roadmap Alignment: Align deposition and etch cell capabilities with the overarching business goals, yield targets, and the long-term technical roadmap.
• Stakeholder Coordination: Partner with module leads, integration engineers, operations, and quality stakeholders to standardize best practices and scale technical innovations reliably across the fab.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD in Materials Science, Physics, Semiconductor Technology, Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of semiconductor process engineering experiencein a high-specification cleanroom.
• 3+ years of technical team leadership/mentoringexperience, including KPI and skills management.
• Strong experience withIII-V materials(InP, GaAs, GaN) and semiconductoretch/deposition processes, including RIE, ICP-RIE, PECVD, and ALD.
• Hands-on experience withSEM/FIB-SEMfor process and failure analysis.
• Proven experience inprocess development, optimization, transfer, and equipment qualification/commissioning.
• Strong knowledge ofDoE, SPC, MSA/Gauge R&R, and quality tools such as8D, FMEA, QCP, and OCAP.
• Stronganalytical, communication, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaborationskills; able to work independently and under pressure.