Software Engineer, Chip Manufacturing

Fab2; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision

Paid time off

Visa sponsorship

Life insurance

Parental leave

401(k)

Learning & development

Commuter benefits

Office lunches & snacks

Job summary

fab2, an early-stage hardware startup with Austin offices, is seeking a Software Engineer to build the software that runs chip fabrication.

You will own core parts of the platform, model tools and processes, and create interfaces to control equipment, ingest telemetry, and provide a complete history for every wafer.

This role blends software and physical systems, offering ownership and collaboration with process and hardware engineers.

Qualifications

• Strong software engineering fundamentals and experience shipping production systems.
• Full-stack ability across frontend, backend, databases, and system design.
• Ability to model complex physical processes and turn them into simple, reliable software.
• Strong product instincts and willingness to work directly with engineers using the software.
• Effective with AI coding tools while still able to read, write, debug, and reason about code independently.
• Strong technical communication and a high degree of ownership.

Responsibilities

• Own core parts of the software platform that runs chip fabrication at Fab2.
• Design the systems that model tools, recipes, wafers, masks, and every process run through the fab.
• Build interfaces for controlling equipment and monitoring the state of the fab in real time.
• Ingest and make sense of high-frequency telemetry, video, logs, and run data from fabrication equipment.
• Develop tools for metrology, process analysis, and SPC that help engineers understand what happened and decide what to run next.
• Create a complete history for every wafer, connecting its recipes, equipment state, sensor data, and results.
• Partner directly with process and hardware engineers to turn process research into production manufacturing capabilities

Skills

Strong software engineering

Full-stack development

System design

AI coding tools

Technical communication

Ownership

Job description

About fab2

The fab2 team can build anything. We design all the hardware and software needed to make chips and we make the fabs, tools, and components ourselves.

We're looking for exceptional, hands-on people who can iterate to the limits of what's possible.

fab2 was founded by Sam Zeloof and Jim Keller. Sam is best known for making chips in his garage, and Jim has been a leader in the semiconductor industry for the past 40 years.

About the Team

fab2 prints chips. fab2 prints fabs. The Software team builds the software that runs it all.

About the Role

We’re looking for a Software Engineer to build the software that runs chip fabrication at fab2.

You’ll work on the core application engineers use to define processes, run tools, track wafers, monitor equipment, and understand what happened after every run. This is a greenfield role for someone who wants to work across software and physical systems, own large pieces of the stack, and make a complex fab easier to program and understand.

Responsibilities

• Own core parts of the software platform that runs chip fabrication at Fab2.

• Design the systems that model tools, recipes, wafers, masks, and every process run through the fab.

• Build interfaces for controlling equipment and monitoring the state of the fab in real time.

• Ingest and make sense of high-frequency telemetry, video, logs, and run data from fabrication equipment.

• Develop tools for metrology, process analysis, and SPC that help engineers understand what happened and decide what to run next.

• Create a complete history for every wafer, connecting its recipes, equipment state, sensor data, and results.

• Partner directly with process and hardware engineers to turn process research into production manufacturing capabilities

Required Experience

• Strong software engineering fundamentals and experience shipping production systems.

• Full-stack ability across frontend, backend, databases, and system design.

• Ability to model complex physical processes and turn them into simple, reliable software.

• Strong product instincts and willingness to work directly with engineers using the software.

• Effective with AI coding tools while still able to read, write, debug, and reason about code independently.

• Strong technical communication and a high degree of ownership.

Nice-to-have

• Experience building MES, laboratory automation, or other software that coordinates complex physical workflows.

• Founding engineer, CTO, or early-stage startup background.

• Background working with hardware, embedded systems, robotics, or other physical systems.

• Familiarity with semiconductor equipment, process control, or fab operations.

• Hands-on work with telemetry, time-series data, industrial controls, or real-time systems.

Working at fab2

We’re an early-stage hardware startup with solid funding, world-class advisors, and labs/offices in Austin, TX, Lockhart, TX, and San Francisco, CA.

Benefits:

fab2 offers the following benefits, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

• Generous Paid Time Off inclusive of Holidays and Sick Time

• Visa Sponsorship

• Life and Disability Insurance

• Paid Parental Leave

• 401(k) retirement plan

• Weekly Learning & Development opportunities

• Commuter Benefits including Parking and Late Night Uber rides from the office

• Lunches daily, Dinners 3x per week, Stocked Office Kitchen with Snacks and Spindrifts

We are an equal-opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability or other legally protected statuses.

Export Control Analysis:

This position involves access to technology that is subject to U.S. export controls. Any job offer made will be contingent upon the applicant’s capacity to serve in compliance with U.S. export controls.

fab2, formerly known as Atomic Semi