Dry Etch Process Engineer – Advanced Semiconductors

Actalent; Beaverton (OR); On-site; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Process Engineer (Dry Etch) to join our Hillsboro, Oregon team, focusing on advanced dry etch processes for FEOL/BEOL. You will work on developing and optimizing RIE/plasma etch processes to meet customer needs and support device scaling from lab to high-volume manufacturing.

The role involves hands-on development, data-driven optimization, DOE-driven tuning, and cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• 5 to 15 years of experience as a Process Engineer developing processes on semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
• Work experience with dry etch or plasma etch processes in semiconductor manufacturing or on semiconductor equipment.
• Experience owning process development or recipe development.
• BS or MS in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience with cleanroom and semiconductor equipment.
• For the Process Engineer IV level, a PhD with 3+ years, MS with 6+ years, or BS with 8+ years of relevant experience.
• Ability to learn and understand dry etch, RIE, and plasma science at an advanced level.
• Familiarity with a variety of metrology and characterization methods used in the semiconductor industry.
• Strong engineering analytical and problem-solving skills with understanding of and experience with the Scientific Method.
• In-depth understanding of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Design of Experiments (DOE).
• Familiarity with working in a laboratory and ability to work in a cleanroom environment for extended hours.
• Ability to perform tasks requiring a high degree of manual dexterity, operate plasma etch systems and associated metrology equipment, and train new engineers on these toolsets
• Strong organization and time management skills, with flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities and deadlines
• Proactive, dependable, and able to drive projects to completion with on-time delivery of milestones
• Excellent collaboration skills and the ability to build effective working relationships with internal and external customers, vendors, and other stakeholders
• Ability to work overtime, shift work, or a flexible schedule as needed

Responsibilities

• Perform hands-on process engineering development, research, and evaluation to deliver solutions that meet or exceed customer requirements for current and future semiconductor manufacturing processes.
• Run experiments for the customer and deliver regular daily and weekly reports and presentations on results.
• Work with a team on projects and development tasks, including data collection, analysis, and reporting to meet customer expectations.
• Apply an understanding of plasma principles, etch fundamentals, and hardware functionality to process and project impact.
• Create internal and external documentation for projects and products, including presentations, technical reports, and process engineering specifications.
• Work closely with Process Technicians and Analytical Team members through the process development cycle.
• Work within a matrix environment and interface with internal customers, managers, and teammates.
• Quickly learn, train, and upskill on the latest equipment and technology, and maintain awareness of maintenance and lab procedures.
• Maintain an understanding of business context, technology and industry trends, and competitor capabilities.
• Professionally represent the company to the customer.
• Perform all work safely and in compliance with Environmental, Health, and Safety procedures, and protect intellectual property and confidential information.
• At the Process Engineer IV level, drive multiple projects at once with a high level of autonomy, act as a resource across the department, lead cross-team efforts and small projects, and support account and technology managers with product demos and business development activities, including interfacing with global engineering teams.

Skills

Dry etch knowledge

RIE/plasma etch understanding

DOE (Design of Experiments)

SPC (Statistical Process Control)

Analytical skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Teamwork in lab environment

Training engineers

Education

BS or MS in Chemical Engineering

BS in Materials Science

BS in Electrical Engineering

PhD with 3+ years / MS with 6+ years / BS with 8+ years (Process Engineer IV)

Tools

Plasma etch systems

Metrology equipment

Laboratory equipment

Cleanroom environment

Job description

Actalent is seeking a Process Engineer (Dry Etch) to join our Hillsboro, Oregon team, focusing on advanced dry etch processes for FEOL/BEOL. You will work on developing and optimizing RIE/plasma etch processes to meet customer needs and support device scaling from lab to high-volume manufacturing.

The role involves hands-on development, data-driven optimization, DOE-driven tuning, and cross-functional collaboration.