Senior Applications Engineer, APC & FDC Automation

WD; Fremont (CA); On-site; USD 111,000 - 148,000; Full time

Job summary

WD is seeking a Senior Engineer, Applications Engineering (APC) in Fremont to develop and sustain Advanced Process Control systems, including run-to-run control and fault detection. You will collaborate with process, equipment, and IT teams to deploy scalable APC solutions and drive continuous improvement in wafer manufacturing.

You will help integrate AI-augmented, model-driven control using machine learning, virtual metrology, and advanced equipment analytics to improve yield and reduce scrap

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Engineering (Computer, Electrical, Chemical, Industrial, Mechanical), Applied Physics, Operations Research, Data Science or Statistics.
• Experience with semiconductor R2R control and FDC systems.
• Strong analytical and programming skills; proficiency with statistical analysis and ML tools such as JMP, Python, and multivariate analysis platforms.
• Knowledge of semiconductor processing technologies and equipment.
• Solid understanding of IT systems, including Linux system administration and shell-based workflows, Windows OS, SQL Server & SQL queries, Networking, SECS/GEM, and Data acquisition systems.

Responsibilities

• Implement APC solutions in collaboration with Process Engineering, Equipment Engineering, IT, and external partners.
• Lead APC/automation projects through production release and quantify improvements against baseline metrics.
• Perform data analysis to develop and optimize FDC models for real-time fault detection.
• Configure and deploy new control strategies and automation recipes; support recipe management and specification database setups.
• Develop and tune R2R control models using feedback and feed-forward algorithms.
• Create advanced FDC models for scrap prevention, tool matching, predictive maintenance, and condition-based maintenance.
• Conduct system integration testing for R2R, FDC, and automation host systems.
• Maintain R2R and FDC systems; monitor controller/model performance and initiate continuous improvement activities.

Skills

R2R control

FDC systems

Python

JMP

ML tools

Statistics

IT systems

SECS/GEM

Education

BS/MS in Engineering/related

Tools

Linux

Windows

SQL Server

DAQ

SECS/GEM

Job description

WD is seeking a Senior Engineer, Applications Engineering (APC) in Fremont to develop and sustain Advanced Process Control systems, including run-to-run control and fault detection. You will collaborate with process, equipment, and IT teams to deploy scalable APC solutions and drive continuous improvement in wafer manufacturing.

You will help integrate AI-augmented, model-driven control using machine learning, virtual metrology, and advanced equipment analytics to improve yield and reduce scrap