Senior Engineer, MEMS Characterization

Knowles Corporation; Itasca (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading audio technology company in Itasca, Illinois, is seeking a MEMS Characterization Senior Engineer. The role involves developing and maintaining MEMS test solutions, performing failure analysis, and collaborating with design and process engineers. Candidates should have a Master's degree in Engineering with 2-5 years of relevant experience, along with strong troubleshooting skills and knowledge of MEMS technologies. This role supports innovative technology development within the company.

Qualifications

• Master's degree required with 2-5 years of experience; PhD is a plus.
• Experience in MEMS sensor failure analysis.
• Familiarity with optical, electrical, and mechanical characterization methods.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain MEMS test solutions for production failure analysis.
• Ensure hardware and software installations are maintained.
• Collaborate with MEMS development team for continuous improvement.

Skills

Troubleshooting and debugging

Failure analysis of MEMS sensors

Communication skills

Statistical analysis (JMP, MiniTab, R)

Finite element analysis (FEA)

Understanding of acoustics and mechanics

Education

Master of Science/Engineering in Electrical/Mechanical/Material/Physics

Tools

COMSOL Multiphysics

ANSYS

Electrical test equipment (parameter analyzer, oscilloscope)

Job description

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:

MEMS Characterization Senior Engineer will work with design, process, and failure analysis engineer on assisting characterization and failure analysis of the MEMS device, while supporting technology development, product qualifications and quality monitoring. Employee will maintain and develop new test solutions, recommend hardware requirements based on existing trends in characterization.

Responsibilities

• Developing and maintain MEMS test solutions for production failure analysis, collaborating with design and process engineering to further characterization efforts and drive yield improvement
• Ensuring hardware and software installations are maintained.
• Continuous improvement of characterization capabilities collaborating with MEMS development team
• Perform microphone, MEMS, assembly failure analysis
• Work with design and process engineer to define characterization requirements and support execution of the characterization, including submitting work order requests and writing characterization reports.

Qualifications

• Master of Science/Engineering in Electrical/Mechanical/Material/Physics (or related field) with 2-5 years’ experience. PhD is a plus
• Experience in troubleshooting, debugging and with failure analysis of MEMS sensors is desired
• Familiar with material/device characterization using optical, electrical, mechanical methods
• Basic knowledge of acoustics and mechanics is an asset.
• Must be a team player with good communication skill.
• Familiar with material/device characterization using optical, electrical, mechanical methods
• Knowledge of calibration methodologies and best practices
• Basic knowledge of statistical analysis (JMP, MiniTab, R) is an asset
• Reliability testing experience is an asset
• Experience with electrical test equipment such as parameter analyzer, oscilloscope, probe station, and data acquisition system are desired
• Experience with advanced surface science methodologies (SEM, Raman, Auger, FIB, FTIR) an asset
• Hands on experience on developing environmental testing setup and fixtures for sensors under thermal, vibration, and electrical tests is a plus
• Solid foundation in MEMS microphone acoustics theory, including capacitive transduction principles (Experience analyzing thin-film residual stress, mechanical-electrical sensitivity optimization, damping resistance (Skvor's formula), and high-frequency response/SNR enhancement mechanisms) is a plus
• Proficient in finite element analysis (FEA) tools such as COMSOL Multiphysics or ANSYS for 3D MEMS microphone simulations is a plus
• Understand the principle of dynamic system modeling and proficient in Matlab Simulink and LTSpice is a plus

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Knowles is a market leader and global provider of advanced micro‑acoustic microphones and balanced armature speakers, audio solutions, and high performance capacitors and radio frequency ("RF") filtering products, serving the MedTech, defense, consumer electronics, electric vehicle, industrial, and communications markets. Our focus on the customer, combined with unique technology, proprietary manufacturing techniques, and global operational expertise, enables us to deliver innovative solutions across multiple applications. Knowles, founded in 1946 and headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, has approximately 7,000 employees at facilities located in 13 countries around the world. At Knowles, we are committed to engineering a better tomorrow through the actions we take on a daily basis. We believe that our focus on ethical, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable behavior guides our decision‑making processes and helps keep us accountable. Visit us at knowles.com