Principal Wafer Process Engineer

Prattwhitney; Goleta (CA); On-site; USD 118,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance

Short-term Disability

Long-term Disability

401(k) match

Flexible spending accounts

Flexible work schedules

Employee Scholar Program

Parental leave

Paid time off

Holidays

Job summary

Raytheon Vision Systems in Goleta, CA is seeking a Principal Process Engineer with a strong background in semiconductor fabrication and thin film deposition to lead process development and improvements in our Focal Plane Operations.

You will collaborate across Product Engineering, Systems Engineering, Quality, Mechanical Design, and Factory Management to drive yield, throughput, and safety, while owning vacuum coating, etch, and lithography processes.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 8 years of prior relevant experience.
• Experience in Semiconductor Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and/or Process Engineering in Optics, Electro-Optics or Microelectronics environment or Wafer Processing.

Responsibilities

• Managing process development and improvement projects, including novel processing techniques, yield increase, throughput, and safety improvements
• Responsible for reviewing material in WIP, certifying operators, dispositioning out of flow material, and hands on processing of novel detector designs
• Providing Process Ownership of vacuum coating tools, etch tools, or lithography tools
• Developing requirements and qualification plans for new equipment procurements
• Work in a cleanroom environment with full cover all garments

Skills

STEM degree

Semiconductor engineering

Manufacturing engineering

Process engineering

Education

STEM degree

Tools

Vacuum coating tools

Etch tools

Lithography tools

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-08-20 Country: United States of America Location: US-CA-GOLETA-B01 ~ 6825 Cortona Dr ~ BLDG B01

Position Role Type: Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are authorized to access information under this program/contract.

Security Clearance Type: None/Not Required Security Clearance Status: Not Required

At Raytheon, the foundation of everything we do is rooted in our values and a higher calling – to help our nation and allies defend freedoms and deter aggression. We bring the strength of more than 100 years of experience and renowned engineering expertise to meet the needs of today’s mission and stay ahead of tomorrow’s threat. Our team solves tough, meaningful problems that create a safer, more secure world.

Raytheon Vision Systems (RVS) is a world leader in the research, design and manufacturing of focal plane arrays and flight-based vision systems. Our Focal Plane Operations Process Engineering department provides world class semiconductor and focal plane array manufacturing processes in support of production and development products. We have an opportunity for a talented Principal Process Engineer with a background in semiconductor manufacturing or thin film deposition. The Focal Plane Process Engineering department at RVS supports semiconductor wafer fabrication of challenging Electro-Optical applications in the Space, Tactical, Airborne and Emerging markets.

The candidate will work with and lead other process engineers, skilled technicians, and cross-functional teams to develop strategies and processes for improving the fab performance and output using our metrics. The ideal candidate will have technical proficiency in various fabrications of semiconductor components or microelectronics using lithography, deposition, furnace, dry etch, wet etch, and metrology as well as proficiency and comfort in interfacing with multiple functions including Product Engineering, Systems Engineering, Quality, Mechanical Design Engineering, Factory Management, Equipment Engineering and Process Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Managing process development and improvement projects, including novel processing techniques, yield increase, throughput, and safety improvements


• Responsible for reviewing material in WIP, certifying operators, dispositioning out of flow material, and hands on processing of novel detector designs


• Providing Process Ownership of vacuum coating tools, etch tools, or lithography tools


• Developing requirements and qualification plans for new equipment procurements


• Work in a cleanroom environment with full cover all garments

Qualifications

Typical

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 8 years of prior relevant experience.


• Experience in Semiconductor Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and/or Process Engineering in Optics, Electro-Optics or Microelectronics environment or Wafer Processing.

Preferred

• Experience with wet etch, metal-lift off, lithography, plasma cleaning, and associated semiconductor process equipment


• Experience with principles of vacuum system operations


• Experience with principles of photolithography


• Experience with etch (dry and wet)


• Experience with infrared detector technology and semiconductor physics


• Project management experience


• Knowledge of statistical process control and design of experiments


• Equipment and controls system experience

What We Offer

Our values drive our actions, behaviors, and performance with a vision for a safer, more connected world. At RTX we value: Trust, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, and Innovation.

Benefits

• medical


• dental


• vision


• life insurance


• short-term disability


• long-term disability


• 401(k) match


• flexible spending accounts


• flexible work schedules


• employee assistance program


• Employee Scholar Program


• parental leave


• paid time off


• holidays

Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.

Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.

Location

Goleta, CA: Visit RVS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zixvFAC2kA Explore Raytheon in Goleta: https://careers.rtx.com/global/en/raytheon-goleta-ca-location

This position is an onsite role – Goleta, CA: Visit RVS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zixvFAC2kA Explore Raytheon in Goleta: https://careers.rtx.com/global/en/raytheon-goleta-ca-location

The salary range for this role is 118,300 USD - 224,900 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.

This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.

RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

Equal Opportunity

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class.

RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

RTX is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. It comprises three industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. Its 195,000 employees enable the company to operate at the edge of known science as they imagine and deliver solutions that push the boundaries in quantum physics, electric propulsion, directed energy, hypersonics, avionics and cybersecurity. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.