Process Engineer – Photolithography

Avicena; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Avicena in Sunnyvale, CA is seeking a Process Engineer specialized in photolithography. The role focuses on developing, optimizing, and maintaining lithography processes used in semiconductor fabrication.

You will design experiments to improve process performance, yield, and efficiency, and prepare mask layouts for various lithography tools. Collaboration across teams is essential, with regular metrology-based characterization and documentation.

Qualifications

• BS required in a related technical field with relevant semiconductor experience.
• 5+ years in industrial semiconductor or MEMS foundries.
• Hands-on with positive/negative photoresists and sidewall profiling.
• Experience with lithography tools and metrology equipment.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and maintain photolithography processes.
• Design of Experiments to improve yield and efficiency.
• Prepare mask layouts for lithography tools and collaborate with teams.
• Characterize processes using metrology tools and perform failure analyses.
• Interface with Process Engineering and Equipment Engineering to resolve issues.

Skills

Photolithography

DOE & SPC

Cleanroom experience

Documentation & presentation

Education

BS in Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field

Tools

Tanner L-Edit

Steppers

Contact Aligners

Maskless Exposure

Spin Coaters

HMDS Prime

Photolithography Equipment

Job description

Process Engineer – Photolithography

Avicena

Location: Sunnyvale, CA, US

About the role

• Responsible for developing, optimizing, and maintaining the photolithography process used in semiconductor manufacturing
• Design of Experiments for process performance, yield, and efficiency.
• Mask layout for various lithography tools such as contact aligners, steppers, or direct-write laser.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate new processes.
• Characterize processes and components using semiconductor metrology tools, profilometers, interferometers, SEM, electrical testers and optical testers.
• Work with outside laboratories to characterize processes and devices, conduct failure analyses and model optoelectronic devices
• Regularly interface with other engineers in Process Engineering and Equipment Engineering.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues with photolithography equipment and processes.
• Indirectly manage engineering technicians and operators.

Requirements

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• 5+ years of related industrial experience and managing semiconductor or MEMS foundries
• Hands-on experience with thick and thin positive photoresists, lift-off photoresists, negative photoresists, and the interaction of sidewall profiling with etch profiles.
• Hands-on experience with steppers, contact aligners, maskless exposure, spin coaters, HMDS prime, and related photolithography equipment.
• Proficiency with layout design software tools (e.g., Tanner L-Edit)
• Strong knowledge of photolithography and its interaction with wet and dry etch chemistries.
• Strong familiarity with a clean room environment and other semiconductor processing equipment, including wet etch, plasma etch, plasma ashing, ICP, CVD, PVD, ALD.
• Proficient in Design of Experiments and Statistical Process Control methodologies.
• Extremely organized, data-driven, and detail-oriented, with a strong desire to maintain thorough documentation and a baseline.
• Ability to identify, troubleshoot, and communicate significantly complex engineering problems through documentation and regular presentations to senior and executive staff members
• Familiarity with health and safety regulations in a cleanroom environment

Preferred Requirements

• MS or PhD in Engineering
• 10+ years of related industrial experience
• Strong knowledge of semiconductor device physics.
• Proficient with JMP software.
• Proficient with database queries using SQL