Postdoctoral Fellow (PREP0004276)

Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University is seeking a PREP Research Associate for a funded project focusing on the development of semiconductor manufacturing methods. You will be involved in the Nanophotonics project, helping to establish quantitative foundations for microelectronic assembly.

The ideal candidate will have a PhD and significant experience in semiconductor device fabrication processes. Responsibilities include chip fabrication and characterization using various techniques.

Qualifications

• PhD in relevant field is required.
• Significant experience in semiconductor device processes.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, or Matlab.

Responsibilities

• Fabricate Si, SiO2, and SiN chips for experiments.
• Optimize and maintain fabrication processes.
• Perform surface and thin-film characterization.

Skills

Process development

Semiconductor device fabrication

Programming (Python, Java, Matlab)

Excellent communication skills

Education

PhD in physics, electrical engineering, materials science, or related field

Tools

AFM

SEM

Optical microscopy

Ellipsometry

Job description

PREP Research Associate CHIPS Funded Project

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. It will contribute to the development of novel surface and materials metrology methods that enable predictive control of bonding processes and heterogeneous integration for next‑generation hybrid advanced packaging.

The successful candidate will work within the Nanophotonics project to help establish the quantitative foundations needed for reliable, high‑density microelectronic assembly, supporting national efforts to strengthen U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging technologies.

Responsibilities

• Fabricate Si, SiO2, and SiN chips for flip‑chip fusion and hybrid bonding experiments.
• Optimize and maintain fabrication processes, including chip handling and cleaning protocols.
• Perform surface and thin‑film characterization of chips used for flip‑chip bonding experiments. Characterization techniques include AFM, optical inspection, IR transmission microscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, SEM and others.
• Closely coordinate with teams performing materials characterization, bond‑strength testing, and modeling.

Necessary Qualifications

• PhD in physics, electrical engineering, materials science, or a related field.
• Significant experience, including process development, in semiconductor device fabrication, wafer cleaning and handling, lithography mask layout, optical or electron beam lithography, RIE, ICP RIE, PVD, CVD, ALD, wet etching, and characterization techniques such as ellipsometry, profilometry, optical microscopy, SEM and AFM.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, or Matlab.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively in a team.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience with flip‑chip fusion and/or hybrid bonding processes.
• Experience with XPS, UPS, FTIR, Raman, photoluminescence, and other relevant spectroscopy modalities.
• Familiarity with silicon electronic, photonic, or optoelectronic device processing.
• Experience with custom infrared microscopy and optical measurement setups.
• Experience with III‑V compound semiconductor process development and device fabrication.
• Experience with optoelectronic devices such as semiconductor lasers, detectors, and multifunctional photonic integrated circuits.
• Experience with photonic and optoelectronic device simulation software such as Lumerical, Tidy3d, or COMSOL.
• US citizenship strongly preferred.

Salary Range

Salary Range – The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. The actual compensation offered may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, including geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education and training.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics. The university is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors or demographic characteristics that are irrelevant to the program involved.