Senior Mechanical Engineer - Semiconductor Capital Equipment

Paylocity; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

SHELLBACK Semiconductor Technology is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead the mechanical development of our capital equipment from concept through fabrication and commissioning. This hands-on, senior‑level role requires designing and building complex systems, troubleshooting on the floor, and collaborating with technicians to deliver robust equipment.

The ideal candidate has 8–10+ years in semiconductor capital equipment or equivalent high‑tech environments, strong CAD skills (Autodesk

Qualifications

• BSME or equivalent is required.
• 8–10+ years in semiconductor capital equipment or similar.
• Experience owning complete equipment modules and systems.
• Strong CAD skills with Inventor preferred.
• Solid fundamentals in mechanics, thermodynamics and materials.
• Experience with fluid dynamics, FEA, magnetic and thermal modeling is a plus.
• Hands-on fabrication, assembly, and wiring experience is desirable.
• Proficient with EPDM or equivalent data management systems.
• Excellent analytical, organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to work with limited supervision and drive priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead full lifecycle mechanical development from concept to commissioning.
• Design complex mechanical and electro-mechanical systems to meet specs.
• Develop 3D models, drawings, assemblies, and manufacturing docs.
• Support fluid/chemical delivery, pumps, piping, valves, and thermal systems.
• Apply engineering principles to ensure reliability and manufacturability.
• Troubleshoot issues and drive corrective actions to closure.
• Modify equipment for performance, obsolescence, and customer needs.
• Perform design verification and experiments.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Electrical/Controls, and Support teams.
• Maintain BOMs, drawings, and engineering changes.

Skills

Mechanical design

End-to-end ownership

Hands-on fabrication

Troubleshooting

Problem solving

CAD design tools

Mechanics knowledge

Thermodynamics & kinematics

Root cause analysis

Independent prioritization

MS Office tools

Education

BSME or equivalent

Tools

Autodesk Inventor

EPDM

MS Office

Job description

Description

About the Role

SHELLBACK Semiconductor Technology is seeking an experienced Senior Mechanical Engineer to support the design, development, manufacture, and continuous improvement of our semiconductor capital equipment.

We are looking for a hands‑on, senior‑level equipment engineer who can contribute quickly with limited supervision. The ideal candidate has experience designing and building complex capital equipment from the ground up and is equally comfortable working in CAD, troubleshooting equipment, and working directly with technicians on the manufacturing floor.

Direct semiconductor capital equipment or wet-process equipment experience is strongly preferred. Candidates with experience in similarly complex automated or process equipment will also be considered.

This position is 100% on‑site in Coopersburg, PA. Candidates must be local to the Lehigh Valley/Allentown area or willing to relocate.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead full lifecycle mechanical development of capital equipment and subassemblies from concept and design through fabrication, assembly, testing, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning.
• Design complex mechanical and electromechanical systems to meet product and customer‑specific requirements.
• Develop and modify 3D models, detailed drawings, assemblies, and manufacturing documentation.
• Design and support systems involving fluid/chemical delivery, pumps, valves, piping/tubing, pressure/vacuum, pneumatics, process chambers, motion components, frames, enclosures, and thermal management.
• Apply sound engineering principles involving mechanics, kinematics, thermodynamics, materials, tolerancing, structural integrity, manufacturability, reliability, and serviceability.
• Troubleshoot equipment and manufacturing issues, determine root cause, and drive effective solutions through implementation.
• Modify and improve existing and legacy equipment to address performance, reliability, obsolescence, and customer requirements.
• Conduct engineering analysis, experiments, testing, and design verification.
• Participate in product design reviews and work directly with Manufacturing during equipment assembly, integration, checkout, and qualification.
• Maintain accurate BOMs, assembly drawings, work instructions, specifications, and engineering changes.
• Collaborate with Electrical/Controls Engineering, Manufacturing, Technical Support, Field Service, Supply Chain, vendors, and customers.
• Provide senior‑level technical guidance and independently drive engineering priorities and problems to completion.

Requirements

Technical Qualifications

• Strong mechanical design background with demonstrated experience designing and building complex equipment from the ground up.
• Demonstrated experience owning complete equipment, major equipment modules, or complex mechanical systems, rather than primarily individual component design.
• Strong hands‑on experience with equipment fabrication, mechanical assembly, integration, testing, troubleshooting, and production release.
• Advanced proficiency with 3D engineering design and manufacturing tools; Autodesk Inventor strongly preferred.
• Solid understanding of mechanics, kinematics, thermodynamics, materials science, machine design, and manufacturing principles.
• Experience with fluid dynamics, finite element analysis (FEA), magnetic modeling, and thermal modeling is a plus.
• Hands‑on technical experience with fabrication, mechanical assembly, and wiring is highly desirable.
• Experience with Enterprise Product Data Management (EPDM) or comparable engineering data management systems is highly desirable.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to independently evaluate technical issues, prioritize responsibilities, and drive solutions with limited supervision.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project.

Preferred Equipment Experience

Strong preference will be given to candidates with experience in semiconductor capital equipment, wafer‑processing equipment, wet‑process equipment, or chemical/fluid‑handling systems.

Candidates from other industries should have demonstrated experience designing and supporting comparably complex automated capital or process equipment.

Education & Experience

• BSME or equivalent bachelor’s degree required.
• 8–10+ years of progressive mechanical engineering experience in semiconductor capital equipment, complex automated equipment, manufacturing equipment, defense equipment, or a similarly demanding technical environment.
• Direct semiconductor capital‑equipment experience may offset total years of experience.