Dry Etch Process Engineer - Silicon Photonics Fab

Ignite Human Capital; Temecula (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Ignite Human Capital seeks a Dry Etch Process Engineer in Temecula, CA to advance manufacturable, high-yield processes for advanced devices in aerospace, defense, and communications. This hands-on role drives process development and integrates with product teams to ensure device performance.

You will tune RIE/DRIE/MRIE/ICP processes, interpret metrology, and mentor technicians while maintaining SPC controls and MES documentation. This is a high-impact, on-site opportunity.

Qualifications

• Experience in dry etch processing using RIE, DRIE, MRIE, ICP, and microwave ashing.
• Experience with SPC and data-driven decision making.
• Foundational understanding of semiconductor processing and algebraic concepts.
• Troubleshooting to root causes and driving corrective actions.
• Maintenance activities to keep process healthy and repeatable.
• Ability to plan, prioritize, and manage multiple overlapping tasks.
• Hands-on capability to operate processing tools, write/run dry etch recipes, inspect wafers, and characterize defects/thickness.
• Availability for offset shifts — Front-End Days or Back-End Days.
• BS/MS/PhD in related field with years of experience as specified.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with integration, customers, and development engineers to run experiments and tune processes for fab operation.
• Support new product/process introductions and ensure consistent device performance.
• Guide and support process technicians through complex steps.
• Interpret metrology results and disposition lots against criteria.
• Summarize and report metrology findings to teams.
• Deliver clear shift pass-downs to keep operations running.
• Sustain and improve wafer fabrication processes.
• Partner with equipment engineering to improve cycle time, tool availability, and yield.
• Maintain MES and document control for equipment specifications.
• Resolve deviations with hypotheses, experiments, root cause analysis, and actions.

Skills

Dry etch processing

SPC (Statistical Process Control)

Data extraction & reporting

Semiconductor processing fundamentals

Troubleshooting & root cause

Maintenance understanding

Task prioritization

Hands-on processing tools

Shift flexibility

Advanced degree + experience

Education

BS in Electrical Eng./Materials Science/Physics/Chemistry or related +9 years

MS +7 years

PhD +4 years

Tools

RIE

DRIE

MRIE

ICP

Microwave ashing

MES familiarity

Job description

Ignite Human Capital seeks a Dry Etch Process Engineer in Temecula, CA to advance manufacturable, high-yield processes for advanced devices in aerospace, defense, and communications. This hands-on role drives process development and integrates with product teams to ensure device performance.

You will tune RIE/DRIE/MRIE/ICP processes, interpret metrology, and mentor technicians while maintaining SPC controls and MES documentation. This is a high-impact, on-site opportunity.