Senior Certification Specialist

SEMI; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

SEMI is seeking a Senior Certification Specialist for the Milpitas headquarters, a hybrid, full‑time role in the Standards & Certification department. You will drive ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation with ABs, develop SEMI certification schemes for semiconductor equipment, and coordinate with technical committees, member companies, and industry stakeholders to build a world‑class certification program.

You will lead scheme development, manage audit processes, and oversee QMS documentation while

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience in conformity assessment, certification, quality systems, or standards-related roles.
• Deep knowledge of ISO/IEC 17065 and its implementation.
• Experience developing or auditing quality management system documentation (procedures, work instructions, records control).
• Excellent technical writing skills and ability to produce normative scheme documents.

Responsibilities

• Lead ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation activities with an Accreditation Body (ANAB/A2LA).
• Develop and maintain SEMI's QMS documentation and certification body procedures.
• Manage accreditation submissions, witness audits, and surveillance cycles; liaise with the accreditation body.
• Author certification schemes grounded in SEMI Standards and align with ISO/IEC 17067 principles.
• Engage with SEMI committees, member companies, and industry stakeholders to build certification infrastructure.

Skills

Conformity assessment

ISO/IEC 17065

Technical writing

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related technical discipline

Job description

Job Title: Senior Certification Specialist

Location: SEMI HQ Milpitas Office (Hybrid)

Department: Standards & Certification

Salary Range: $140,000 - $155,000 per year (SF Bay Area Candidates Only)

As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome all to apply.

The Role:

The Senior Certification Specialist will be the subject-matter expert for a SEMI Certification program. You will drive the accreditation process with a recognized Accreditation Body (AB) such as ANAB or A2LA, lead the development of certification schemes for semiconductor equipment, and work cross-functionally with SEMI technical committees, member companies, and industry stakeholders to build a world‑class, internationally recognized certification infrastructure.

This is a full-time, exempt position and reports to the Senior Manager, Business Development at the SEMI Milpitas Office.

Core Responsibilities

ISO/IEC 17065 Accreditation

• Lead all activities required to achieve and maintain ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation for SEMI as a Certification Body, working with an Accreditation Body such as ANAB or A2LA.
• Develop and maintain SEMI’s Quality Management System (QMS) documentation, including the certification body manual, operational procedures, and internal audit framework in conformance with ISO/IEC 17065 requirements.
• Manage accreditation application submissions, witness audits, and surveillance cycles; serve as the primary liaison to the Accreditation Body.
• Establish and maintain impartiality committee structures and conflict‑of‑interest policies as required under ISO/IEC 17065.
• Develop and oversee corrective action and continual improvement processes in response to audit findings.

Certification Scheme Development

• Author and maintain certification schemes for semiconductor fabrication equipment in accordance with ISO/IEC 17067 principles, specifying applicable SEMI Standards, normative requirements, testing/inspection methods, sampling rules, and decision rules.
• Coordinate with SEMI technical committees and global standards working groups to align certification scheme requirements with current and emerging SEMI Standards.
• Define and document evaluation procedures, including product sampling, type testing, factory inspection, and surveillance requirements for each scheme.
• Establish criteria for selection and qualification of testing laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025‑accredited) and inspection bodies used in conformity assessment.
• Maintain scheme documents through formal revision cycles and ensure traceability to underlying normative standards.

Semiconductor Equipment Technical Expertise

• Apply working knowledge of semiconductor capital equipment — including etch, CVD/PVD deposition, lithography, CMP, diffusion, implant, and metrology/inspection systems — to ensure certification scheme requirements are technically sound and industry‑relevant.
• Translate relevant SEMI Standards (including E, M, and S‑series) into actionable conformity assessment criteria.
• Evaluate technical equivalencies between global standards (IEC, SEMI, ANSI, ISO) where they bear on certification scope.
• Engage fab operators, device makers (e.g., IDMs, foundries), and semiconductor equipment suppliers (e.g., OEMs) to understand certification requirements from an end‑user perspective and incorporate requirements into scheme design.

Stakeholder & Member Engagement

• Serve as primary point of contact for member companies seeking certification, guiding applicants through the evaluation process from initial inquiry to certificate issuance.
• Build and manage a qualified pool of technical experts and auditors to conduct product evaluations and factory assessments; provide orientation and ongoing calibration on SEMI scheme requirements.
• Represent SEMI in industry forums, standards committee meetings, and regulatory discussions related to conformity assessment and product certification.
• Develop training materials, webinars, and guidance documents to raise industry awareness of the SEMI Certification Program and its value proposition.
• Collaborate with SEMI Business Development, Marketing, and Government Relations teams to promote program adoption and grow the certified product portfolio.

What Success Looks Like

• SEMI achieves ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation on schedule, with a fully documented QMS and clean initial accreditation assessment.
• One or more certification schemes are published and operational, with member companies actively engaged in the evaluation process.
• A qualified network of auditors and accredited testing laboratories is established to support scheme delivery.
• Member companies and equipment OEMs recognize the SEMI Certification Mark as a credible, valued signal of product conformance.
• Stakeholder relationships are cultivated across device makers, equipment suppliers, and fab operators, driving broad adoption of the certification program.
• The program achieves financial sustainability through certification fees, with a growing portfolio of certified products.

Critical Success Factors

• Deep command of ISO/IEC 17065 and conformity assessment principles, with the ability to translate standards requirements into operational practice.
• Exceptional technical writing skills to produce normative scheme documents, QMS procedures, and certification guidance materials.
• Ability to work independently and drive complex, multi‑stakeholder initiatives with minimal supervision.
• Strong relationship‑building skills, with the ability to engage credibly with engineers, quality managers, and executives across the semiconductor supply chain.
• Self‑starter with a proactive approach to problem‑solving and continuous improvement.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment.
• Collaborative team player who can work effectively across SEMI’s internal functions (Standards, Business Development, Marketing, Legal).
• Willingness to travel (15%) domestically and internationally for accreditation audits, standards meetings, and member engagements.

The Ideal Candidate

• Drive the end‑to‑end accreditation process with an IAF‑recognized Accreditation Body, from gap assessment through successful initial accreditation.
• Author technically rigorous certification schemes grounded in SEMI Standards, capable of earning trust from both equipment suppliers and end‑user fabs.
• Build and maintain a network of qualified auditors and accredited labs to deliver consistent, credible product evaluations.
• Serve as SEMI’s subject‑matter authority on conformity assessment, representing the organization in standards bodies and industry forums.
• Cultivate long‑term relationships with SEMI member companies, positioning certification as a valued component of SEMI membership.

Foundational Knowledge or Practical Experience

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of professional experience in conformity assessment, certification, quality systems, or standards‑related roles, preferably in a technical industry.
• Deep working knowledge of ISO/IEC 17065 (certification bodies for products/processes/services) and its implementation requirements.
• Familiarity with ISO/IEC 17025 (testing and calibration laboratories) and ISO/IEC 17020 (inspection bodies) as they relate to supporting certification activities.
• Demonstrated experience developing or auditing quality management system documentation (procedures, work instructions, records control).
• Understanding of semiconductor device manufacturing processes and the role of capital equipment in the fab environment.
• Excellent technical writing skills; ability to produce clear, unambiguous normative documents, procedures, and certification scheme specifications.
• Strong project management capabilities with ability to manage multiple workstreams, stakeholder groups, and external timelines concurrently.

Preferred

• Master’s degree or advanced coursework in a relevant engineering or science discipline.
• Direct experience achieving ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation with ANAB, A2LA, or an equivalent IAF‑recognized Accreditation Body.
• Experience authoring certification schemes under ISO/IEC 17067 or analogous frameworks (e.g., IECEE CB Scheme, OSHA NRTL programs).
• Active certification such as ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), ISO Lead Auditor (ISO 9001 or 17065), or RABQSA/Exemplar Global credentials.
• Hands‑on engineering or quality experience with semiconductor equipment OEMs (e.g., Applied Materials, Lam Research, ASML, KLA, Tokyo Electron) or IDMs/foundries.
• Familiarity with SEMI Standards content, particularly E‑series (equipment), M‑series (materials), and S‑series (safety) standards.
• Experience working with trade associations, standards development organizations, or industry consortia.