Cleanroom Engineer

APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS INC; Sugar Land (TX); On-site; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible health plans

401(k) matching

Generous PTO policy

Relocation package

Immigration sponsorships

Job summary

APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS INC in Sugar Land, Texas, is seeking a Cleanroom Engineer to oversee the technical management of the cleanroom environment and HVAC systems. Your duties will include coordinating new cleanroom construction projects, managing compliance verification, and providing on-site technical support to ensure stable production conditions.

The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, HVAC, or Chemical Engineering, with at least 2 years of experience in cleanroom or semiconductor environments. AOI offers flexible health plans, PTO, and relocation assistance.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years working experience in cleanroom or semiconductor manufacturing facility.
• Familiar with ISO cleanroom standards and facility qualification procedures including IQ/OQ/PQ.
• Hands-on experience in cleanroom certification and environmental deviation rectification.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate new cleanroom projects and supervise construction with contractors.
• Manage technical operations of HVAC and cleanroom environmental control systems.
• Lead compliance verification and third-party cleanroom testing.
• Provide on-site technical support to rectify cleanroom abnormalities.

Skills

Cleanroom classification

HVAC systems

Contamination control mechanism

Airflow balance

Building Automation System (BAS)

Field inspection

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, HVAC, or Chemical Engineering

Job description

AOI is committed to providing equal opportunity in all of our employment practices, including hiring, placement, promotion, training, transfer and compensation, to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, sex, veteran status, age, disability, marital status, or any other category protected by State or U.S. Federal law. Moreover, we endeavor to treat our employees fairly.

Cleanroom Engineer will be responsible for the full-lifecycle technical management of the fab’s cleanroom environment and HVAC purification systems. Lead the planning and implementation of new cleanroom construction, daily environmental control, compliance verification and technical optimization, so as to realize contamination control and stable cleanroom operation.

Job Duties

• New project technical coordination: Participate in the scheme review and drawing examination of new cleanroom layout, HVAC systems and process exhaust systems; supervise on-site construction with contractors and supervisors; take charge of system commissioning, acceptance, production handover, and closed‑loop management of all outstanding problems.
• Full‑range technical management of cleanroom systems: Take overall charge of the operation and technical management of plant‑wide HVAC air handling units, FFUs, laminar flow systems, differential pressure gradients, temperature & humidity, cleanliness levels, fresh air & process exhaust, dehumidification units and other environmental control systems, and continuously monitor all critical cleanroom parameters.
• Maintenance system construction & system optimization: Formulate preventive maintenance standards, filter and consumable replacement cycles, and environmental control SOPs for cleanroom systems. Carry out data analysis, root cause analysis and rectification for abnormal conditions such as out‑of‑spec cleanliness, temperature & humidity fluctuations and abnormal pressure differences. Lead technical improvement projects including energy saving, airflow balancing and noise reduction for purification systems.
• Compliance and verification management: Coordinate third‑party cleanroom testing and annual performance verification; compile, update and improve complete IQ/OQ/PQ technical documents to ensure all clean areas meet ISO cleanroom standards, corporate internal specifications and relevant industrial regulatory requirements.
• On‑site technical support: Guide the operation, daily inspection and regular maintenance of purification equipment by workshop operation and maintenance teams; quickly resolve on‑site technical abnormalities related to cleanroom environment to guarantee stable clean production conditions for wafer manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, HVAC Engineering or Chemical Engineering.
• Minimum 2 years working experience in cleanroom, HVAC or semiconductor manufacturing facility.
• Solid professional knowledge of cleanroom classification, airflow balance, HVAC systems and contamination control mechanism.
• Familiar with ISO cleanroom standards, environmental monitoring systems and facility qualification procedures including IQ/OQ/PQ.
• Experience in semiconductor or photonics manufacturing cleanroom projects.
• Hands‑on experience in cleanroom certification, third‑party testing and environmental deviation rectification.
• Mastery of Building Automation System (BAS) and cleanroom environmental monitoring platform.
• Project experience in new fab construction, cleanroom renovation and airflow optimization.
• Support 24/7 wafer production; accept overtime, weekend shifts and emergency on‑call for cleanroom HVAC abnormal events after working hours.
• Frequently enter Class 100/1000 cleanroom areas and mechanical equipment rooms for on‑site technical investigation.
• Required to wear full cleanroom PPE (bunny suit, mask, gloves) and follow strict contamination control protocols.
• Regularly conduct field inspection on rooftop air handling units, dehumidifiers and process exhaust equipment.

Location

This position will be on‑site based in Sugar Land, Texas.

Benefits

In addition to competitive salary, AOI offers

• Flexible and competitive health (medical, dental, vision) plans that offer employees options to meet individual and family needs.
• Employer matching on 401(k) deferrals.
• Generous PTO policy, with unused PTO payout at end of the year.
• Relocation package available within the US.
• Immigration sponsorships (must be currently authorized to work in the US).

We do not accept unsolicited proposals from third‑party recruiters or agencies. Contacting hiring managers directly may result in disqualification of submissions.