Principal Engineer (Etch Process)

GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

GLOBALFOUNDRIES SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. is seeking a Principal Engineer specializing in etch to lead process development and optimization for advanced wafer fabrication.

The role demands hands-on etch expertise, strategic planning, and collaboration with cross-functional teams and external partners to drive process improvements. The successful candidate will develop etch formulations, optimize tool controls, and lead SOPs/FMEA for the etch module while mentoring junior engineers and contributing to

Qualifications

• Master’s or bachelor’s degree in electrical / Electronics / Mechanical / Chemical / Materials Science Engineering or related field.
• 5 to 8 years of relevant wafer fabrication experience, with a strong focus on etch.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Good analytical and project management skills
• Organized and systematic in problem solving, familiar with SPC, DOE & FMEA

Responsibilities

• Develop and modify etch process formulations, methods, and tool controls to meet stringent quality standards.
• Analyze data and charts to ensure etch performance including non-uniformity and defectivity.
• Establish and maintain SOPs and FMEA for the etch module.
• Integrate etch equipment capabilities to meet specifications.
• Lead recipe creation, maintenance, and optimization for etch tools.
• Drive Continuous Improvement Plans (CIPs) to enhance process performance and productivity.
• Lead and participate in cross-functional teams to achieve goals.
• Provide guidance and training to junior etch engineers.
• Collaborate with vendors and internal teams for benchmarking and cross-learning.
• Demonstrate mastery in etch discipline and be recognized as a senior technical member.
• Solve complex technical problems and proactively implement significant changes to processes.
• Contribute to IP through patents related to etch technology.
• Participate in conferences or journal publications.
• Perform all activities safely and support EH&S requirements.

Job description

About the Role

As a Principal Engineer focusing on Etch, you will be a key technical leader in the Process Module team. You will be responsible for developing, optimizing, and sustaining cutting-edge etch processes critical to our semiconductor fabrication technology nodes. This role requires deep, hands-on etch technical expertise, a strategic mindset to drive advanced planarization solutions, and excellent communication skills to collaborate with cross-functional integration teams and external partners.

What you will do:

Technical Expertise & Etch Process Development:

• Develop and modify etch process formulations, methods, and tool controls to meet stringent quality standards.
• Analyze, and review technical data and charts to ensure etch performance, focusing on non-uniformity, defectivity, and removal rate stability.
• Establish and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) specific to the etch module.
• Integrate etch equipment capabilities and material systems to meet process module and technology specifications.
• Lead recipe creation, maintenance, and optimization for etch tools to ensure accurate process monitoring and improve recipe quality.

Leadership & Collaboration:

• Drive Continuous Improvement Plans (CIPs) to enhance process performance and productivity.
• Lead and participate in cross-functional teams to achieve organizational goals.
• Serve as a technical subject matter expert for etch, providing guidance and training to junior etch engineers.
• Collaborate with vendors and other internal teams for benchmarking and cross-learning initiatives.
• Demonstrate mastery in all aspects of the etch technical discipline, with group-wide recognition as a senior member of a technical team.

Problem-Solving & Innovation:

• Solve complex, novel, and non-recurring technical problems.
• Proactively identify and implement significant changes to existing processes and methods.
• Contribute to intellectual property by being a contributing inventor on patents related to etch technology.
• Participate in and contribute to conference or journal publications.

Safety & Compliance:

• Perform all activities in a safe and responsible manner.
• Support all Environmental, Health, Safety & Security requirements.

What you need:

• Master’s or bachelor’s degree in electrical / Electronics / Mechanical / Chemical / Materials Science Engineering ore related field.
• 5 to 8 years of relevant experience in wafer fabrication industry, with a strong focus on etch.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Good analytical and project management skills
• Organized and systematic in problem solving, familiar with SPC, DOE & FMEA