Senior Research Engineer, PVD Eng Ops (FAB), IME

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Singapore; On-site; SGD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore is seeking a PVD Engineer to support translational semiconductor research. This role focuses on operational control of Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) processes, ensuring robustness and scalability for industrial partners.

The ideal candidate will have a background in materials science or engineering and experience in PVD operations, with a strong grasp of thin-film deposition fundamentals. This position offers an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of research and manufacturing.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in PVD processes in semiconductor manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of plasma physics and sputtering mechanisms.
• Experience in operations-focused engineering.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day operational engineering control of PVD processes.
• Establish and maintain process control frameworks.
• Support industry co-developed experiments and provide engineering guidance.

Skills

PVD / Sputtering / Evaporation Processes

Thin-Film Deposition Fundamentals

Data Analysis Tools (JMP, Python, Excel)

Process Control (SPC, DOE)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or Chemical Engineering

Job description

Job Summary

The PVD Engineer supports translational semiconductor research by bridging advanced materials engineering and thin‑film deposition processes with industry‑relevant manufacturing practices. The role focuses on operational engineering control of Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) platforms—including sputtering and evaporation systems—within a research fab or pilot line environment.

The engineer ensures process robustness, repeatability, and scalability for transfer to industrial partners, while maintaining operational discipline aligned with leading semiconductor manufacturing fabs.

This role is critical in supporting materials integration, interconnect formation, barrier/seed layers, and advanced device structures for industry-facing development programs, joint collaborations (JDPs), and technology transfer.

Responsibilities

• PVD Operations & Process Control
• Own day‑to‑day operational engineering control of PVD processes across research, pilot, or pre‑production lines.
• Establish and maintain process control frameworks (SPC, control plans, excursions, operating limits) that balance innovation with manufacturing rigor.
• Monitor and control key process KPIs including film thickness, uniformity, resistivity, stress, composition, adhesion, and defectivity.
• Perform rapid troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and corrective actions to ensure tool uptime and experimental integrity.
• Translational Research Enablement
• Enable research‑to‑manufacturing translation by ensuring PVD processes are scalable, repeatable, and integration‑ready.
• Support execution of industry co‑developed experiments, including materials screening and advanced integration stacks (e.g., barrier/seed, metal gate, interconnects).
• Provide engineering guidance to researchers on material selection, deposition trade‑offs, and integration constraints.
• Tool Performance, Matching & Capability Development
• Support PVD tool qualification, baseline setup, and matching across multiple chambers and platforms.
• Collaborate with Equipment Engineering and vendors on chamber performance, target utilization, plasma stability, and hardware optimization.
• Support introduction of new targets, materials, tool upgrades, or experimental configurations with proper risk assessment and readiness planning.
• Process Sustainment, Data Analysis & Improvement
• Sustain qualified PVD processes while enabling controlled experimentation through process window characterization and drift monitoring.
• Analyze metrology and electrical data (e.g., sheet resistance, film stress, thickness mapping) to identify systematic variations and yield limiters.
• Drive continuous improvement to enhance film quality, step coverage, throughput, and process stability.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or related disciplines.
• 3–5 years of experience in PVD / sputtering / evaporation processes, ideally in semiconductor manufacturing, pilot line, or applied R&D environments.
• Strong understanding of thin‑film deposition fundamentals: plasma physics, sputtering mechanisms, film growth, stress control, and defectivity.
• Experience in process control (SPC, DOE, excursion management) and operations‑focused engineering.
• Proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., JMP, Python, Excel).

Preferred / Added Advantages

• Hands‑on experience with advanced PVD systems (e.g., multi‑chamber cluster tools, ionized PVD, collimated sputtering).
• Familiarity with advanced node applications (e.g., metal gate stacks, barrier/liner layers, BEOL interconnects).
• Experience in target material qualification, chamber seasoning, and contamination control.
• Exposure to industry–research collaboration, JDPs, or technology transfer activities.
• Strong communication skills across multidisciplinary teams and external partners.

Key Attributes for Success

• Strong materials and manufacturing mindset in a research‑driven environment.
• Ability to balance process discipline with experimental flexibility.
• Structured, data‑driven problem solving approach.
• Collaborative and industry‑oriented mindset.
• High ownership and reliability in complex, high‑visibility projects.