Advanced Process Development Engineer (30878)

Pentagon Technologies; Hayward (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous PTO

401K with employer matching

Health, dental, vision insurance

Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance

Life and AD&D (employer paid)

Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)

Job summary

Pentagon Technologies, Inc. is seeking an Advanced Process Development Engineer to advance precision cleaning, surface treatment, coating, and contamination-control solutions for semiconductor equipment.

You will bridge customer wafer-fab requirements with Pentagon's labs and production, translating challenges into robust service processes. The role requires deep semiconductor process knowledge, ability to run DOE, and collaboration with process, yield, and supplier-quality teams across sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related field.
• 5+ years in semiconductor wafer fabrication, equipment, or high-purity manufacturing.
• Ability to design experiments and translate results into manufacturing steps.
• Experience with contamination control, SPC, FMEA, root-cause analysis, and change control.
• Ability to communicate with customers and lead cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Own development programs for precision cleaning, coating, and contamination-control processes.
• Translate customer requirements into part-level cleaning and coating specs.
• Lead structured experimentation to establish process windows and acceptance criteria.
• Develop qualification plans, including baseline characterization and trials.
• Interface with fab process, equipment, yield, contamination-control, and supplier-quality teams.
• Evaluate failure mechanisms and recommend evidence-based solutions.
• Transfer laboratory processes into production with PFMEA, control plans, and SOPs.
• Lead CAPA, 8D, and failure-analysis activities and communicate actions clearly.
• Develop analytical methods for particles, metals, organics, and surface chemistry.

Skills

Process integration

DOE design of experiments

Statistical data analysis

Root-cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication with customers

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or related field

Job description

Pentagon Technologies, Inc. is a leader in providing mission-critical semiconductor services that touch every device with a computer chip inside. Our customers include the largest semiconductor chip and OEM tool manufacturers in the industry. We stay at the forefront of our industry through innovation, technical proficiency, and our amazing employees. Our industry is in the midst of unprecedented growth and Pentagon is seeking outstanding candidates to join our team!

Position Summary

Pentagon Technologies is seeking an Advanced Process Development Engineer to develop, qualify, and industrialize next-generation precision cleaning, surface treatment, coating, and contamination-control solutions for semiconductor manufacturing equipment. This engineer will primarily connect customer wafer-fab requirements with Pentagon's laboratory and production capabilities - translating process-tool challenges, chamber-part failure modes, and advanced-node contamination risks into robust, scalable service processes. The ideal candidate brings direct experience inside a leading semiconductor manufacturer such as Intel, TSMC, Micron, Samsung, GlobalFoundries, or Texas Instruments, or equivalent customer-facing experience with an equipment OEM such as Applied Materials or Lam Research. The role requires the technical depth to engage process, equipment, yield, and supplier-quality engineers and the execution discipline to move concepts from experiment through customer qualification and multi-site production release.

Key Responsibilities

• Own development programs for precision cleaning, chemical stripping, surface preparation, texturing, passivation, coating, and contamination-control processes used on semiconductor tool chamber components.
• Translate customer process conditions - including deposition and etch films, plasma exposure, temperature, chemistry, RF environment, and chamber matching requirements - into part-level cleaning and coating specifications.
• Lead structured experimentation using DOE, statistical analysis, and sound materials characterization to establish process windows, critical parameters, acceptance criteria, and control plans.
• Develop customer qualification plans and technical packages, including baseline characterization, coupons or part trials, risk assessment, data analysis, deviation management, and final qualification reports.
• Serve as a technical interface with fab process, equipment, yield, contamination-control, and supplier-quality teams; participate in technical reviews, excursions, and root-cause investigations.
• Evaluate component failure mechanisms such as corrosion, erosion, particle generation, coating delamination, dimensional change, residue retention, and cross-contamination; recommend solutions based on evidence.
• Partner with Operations to transfer laboratory processes into production using PFMEA, control plans, work instructions, SPC, measurement-system analysis, training, and release criteria.
• Lead CAPA, 8D, and failure-analysis activity for complex customer or process issues; communicate conclusions and corrective actions clearly to technical and executive audiences.
• Develop and validate analytical methods for particles, metals, organics, surface chemistry, morphology, thickness, adhesion, roughness, and cleanliness as applicable.
• Support new equipment selection, specification, installation, process acceptance, and ramp; ensure EHS, chemical compatibility, waste, and permitting requirements are addressed early.
• Build technology roadmaps by monitoring advanced-node process changes, new chamber materials and coatings, OEM platform evolution, and unmet customer needs.
• Protect Pentagon intellectual property through disciplined documentation, invention disclosures, confidentiality practices, and collaboration with legal and commercial teams.
• Provide technical input to quotations, business cases, and customer proposals, including process flow, cycle time, capacity, capital, cost, risk, and anticipated value to the customer.
• Standardize successful processes across Pentagon locations while respecting customer-specific copy-exact, change-control, and traceability requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a closely related technical field.
• Five or more years of relevant engineering experience in semiconductor wafer fabrication, semiconductor equipment, precision cleaning/coating, advanced materials, or another high-purity manufacturing environment.
• Strong process integration mindset with broad knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing processes and their interdependencies. Understanding of how chamber conditions and replaceable chamber components impact process performance across etch, deposition, lithography, implant, CMP, wet clean, and other fab modules.
• Demonstrated experience designing experiments, analyzing data, solving ambiguous technical problems, and converting results into controlled manufacturing processes.
• Experience with contamination control, cleanroom protocols, statistical process control, FMEA, root-cause analysis, and formal change control.
• Ability to communicate credibly with customers, write clear technical reports, and lead cross-functional work without relying on direct authority.
• Ability to work safely around industrial equipment and regulated chemicals and to travel to customer and Pentagon facilities.

Safety

Employee will be trained in, and is to follow and lead by example, all general safety requirements of Pentagon Technologies as well as specific safety regulatory requirements.

Work Environment

Must be able to function well in an office environment. Must also be able to work in a controlled chemical and wastewater environment. Must also be able to perform in a laboratory environment. Persons who are sensitive to chemical environments with such medical conditions as asthma, allergies, or extreme sensitivity to chemicals may not be considered as good candidates for this position. Must have the ability to travel to the various Pentagon Technologies Facilities within the continental US as required. Must be able to travel to Vendor and Customer facilities within the continental US as required.

Physical Demands

Must pass Company required screening tests. The employee is regularly required to sit and stand, reach with hands and arms and perform light routine office work, which includes computer workstation usage.

Perks of Working at Pentagon Technologies

At the end of the day, our strength comes from our people, and we are determined to recognize and promote your wellbeing—be it professionally, financially, physically, or mentally.

• Generous PTO
• 401K program with employer matching contribution
• Health, dental, vision Insurance (with generous employer contribution)
• Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance (fully employer paid)
• Life and AD&D (employer paid & voluntary option)
• Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)

Be advised that Pentagon Technologies does not offer relocation assistance for this position. Candidates who do not reside near the posted location will be responsible for covering all relocation costs. By applying for this position, candidates acknowledge and agree that they will be solely responsible for any expenses incurred in relocating to the area if selected for the role.

Pentagon Technologies is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer (AA/EOE/W/M/Vet/Disabled) and does not discriminate in recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, or other employment of associates. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.