Principal Fab Test Engineer

Broadcom Inc.; Fort Collins (CO); On-site; USD 129,000 - 207,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision plans

401K with company match

ESPP

Employee Assistance Program

Company paid holidays

Paid sick leave

Vacation time

Job summary

Broadcom Inc. is seeking a Principal Test Engineer for the Wireless Semiconductor Division in Fort Collins. This role focuses on owning one or several test tool groups, including probers and testers, used for MEMS wafer characterization and production testing.

You will design, configure, and validate measurement capabilities and interface with MES data systems. The position requires deep knowledge of wafer testing, DC to 20+ GHz measurements, software for test setup, and leadership to drive

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 12+ years in a similar or related role.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical ownership of test tool sets and ensure uptime.
• Drive improvement projects for availability, uptime, capacity and yield.
• Identify, qualify and release new tool components and instruments.
• Collaborate with vendors to debug tool performance.
• Develop procedures and MES data interfaces for testing.

Skills

Test tool ownership

EG4090/TEL probers

Python

GitLab

Linux/Windows

SPC & DOE

FDC/SECS-GEMS

Test instrumentation

Education

Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering

Tools

EG4090 probers

TEL probers

Job description

Wireless Semiconductor Division (WSD) Fab Test Engineering has an immediate opening for a Principal Test Engineer.

In this specific position as a WSD Fab Test Unit Process Engineer (TUPE), you will have primary equipment ownership of one to several test tool groups with a multiplicity of individual tools per group. The tool groups consist of replicated, custom, semi-custom, or purchased wafer level probers and testers performing analog DC, Linear and Non-Linear RF parametric (sampled) and wafer sort (100%) measurements. These tools are used to characterize and measure advanced silicon based MEMs wafers for development and production. The TUPE is responsible for the hardware system design and \ or specification of the tool. Each tool can be a turnkey system purchased externally, or build as a custom\semi-custom system from purchased or custom designed components and instruments. The TUPE is responsible for specifying and verifying the measurement capability of each element. The TUPE also writes the software needed to setup, interface, configure and run the testers as well as interface with the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) data systems. One of the most important items in the scope and role of the Test Unit Process Engineer (TUPE) is to fully understand the technical details of the test that is being performed and the technical details of the test equipment with which the measurement is being made. An additional critical criteria for the TUPE is to understand the accuracy and the repeatability or variance of the test being performed. Both of these critical fundamentals allow the test engineer to distinguish between the measurement system and the product being measured as a gauge of test quality. As a WSD Fab Test Unit Process Engineer (TUPE), you will have a mix of both tactical and strategic responsibilities. The tactical responsibilities of the TUPE are to keep the owned test tool sets functioning as expected ensuring the continuous flow of lots and wafers through the various test operations. This generally consists of review and resolution of the control charts, calibration coefficients, and reference wafer results of the test systems, as well as reviewing and resolving lot/wafer holds and dispositions that are tester related. The strategic responsibilities of the TUPE can be continuous improvement projects, enhanced capability or migration, or completely new measurement requirements driven by new technology required for R&D or NPI and intended for the owned test system tool sets. Assignments can be complex and variable in nature and require judgment, initiative, and technical/specialized knowledge. As a WSD Fab Test Unit Process Engineer (TUPE), you will collaborate within the Fort Collins Fab test functional area interfacing with test, yield, integration, data tools, research and development, new product introduction, and industrial engineering teams, test maintenance technicians, test and operations process technicians, operations management, line technicians and operators, Environmental Health and Safety teams, fab facilitation teams, technical writers, change management specialists and technical trainers. The ideal candidate shall have demonstrated most traits of perseverance, diligence, attention to detail, continuous improvement focus, high work product quality, conscientiousness, and thoroughness.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership to identify, evaluate, improve and maintain owned tool sets
• Lead improvement projects to support metrics of availability, uptime, capacity, maintenance cost, yield, quality and productivity goals
• Lead improvement projects for measurement quality and enhanced capability
• Establish improvement project objectives, schedules and resource profiles for projects
• Identify, select, purchase, install, qualify and release new tool components and instruments
• Work with tool component and instrument suppliers / vendors to debug tool performance
• Investigate Lot Incident Report (LIR)s, Scrap events, Potentially Non-Conforming Material (PNM) events, and tool interrupt events to identify root cause or contributing factors and implement permanent corrective actions
• Create and update Tool Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (tool FMEAs)
• Investigate and implement robust monitoring methodologies enabling early detection of excursions in custom equipment performance before product is impacted (e.g. FDC - SECS/GEMS)
• Develop and implement operating and maintenance procedures that are accurate and precise using documentation, training and certification of team members

Required Skills / Experience

• Demonstrated proficiency in: Identifying, selecting, purchasing, installing, qualifying and releasing new tool components and instruments
• Working with tool component and instrument suppliers / vendors to debug tool performance
• Configuration, setup, programming and use of EG4090 and TEL probers
• Wafer level Analog DC, Linear RF, Non-Linear RF instruments and measurements
• DC-20+ GHz Probe card technologies and maintenance (Cantilever, Vertical, GSG, Pyramid, etc)
• Software programming using Linux and Windows (XP, 07, 10) operating systems
• Software programming using Python and Git Lab version control, workflow, issue tracking and package deployment
• Creation and ownership of PDCAs, E-TCOs, D-TCOs
• Component level electrical and circuit knowledge
• Instrument measurement capability, accuracy, precision, and repeatability
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent diagnostic and troubleshooting skills for process/equipment/measurement interactions
• Applying structured problem solving methodology
• Using Statistical Process Control (SPC), DOE and statistical hypothesis testing
• Education: Bachelors in Electrical Engineering and a minimum 12+ years of experience in a similar or related role

Desired Skills / Experience

• Test executive specification, evaluation, down selection, purchasing and implementation
• Artwork review with Cadence Software programming familiarity with VEE, JAVA, JSCRIPT, JSON, JMP
• Cross platform software GUI development for Linux and Windows
• Practical experience in Fault Detection & Classification (FDC) systems, Copy Exactly (CE!) methodology, High Precision Maintenance (HPM), and Lean Manufacturing
• Basic understanding of MEMS and active device micro-fabrication techniques

Compensation and Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision plans
• 401(K) participation including company matching
• Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• company paid holidays
• paid sick leave
• vacation time

The annual base salary range for this position is USD 129,400.00 To USD 207,000.00

As a valued member of our team, you'll be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus and the opportunity to receive not only a competitive new hire equity grant, but also annual equity awards, connecting your success directly to the company's growth. All subject to relevant plan documents and award agreements.

Broadcom is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

We will consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability status, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

We will also consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records consistent with local law.