Staff Wet Etch Process Engineer

NOKIA; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Nokia Optical Networks in San Jose, CA seeks a Staff Wet Etch Process Engineer to advance wet etch and wet clean processes for InP photonic devices. You will develop, integrate and optimize processes, impacting yield, contamination control, and manufacturability.

Responsibilities include DOE/ SPC analyses, process characterization, and rapid technical leadership during production issues, with on-site support for 24x7 operations and swing shifts as required.

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in engineering or science discipline.
• 5+ years of semiconductor/photonic process engineering experience.
• Strong knowledge of wet processing, surface chemistry, DOE and SPC.
• Independent owner mindset and ability to drive projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop, qualify, and sustain wet etch and wet clean processes for InP PICs.
• Optimize etch rate, selectivity, undercut, surface roughness, uniformity, and yield.
• Support fabrication of waveguides, lasers, modulators, and passive optics.
• Drive defect reduction and yield using DOE, SPC, and statistical analysis.
• Analyze processes from first principles to understand mechanisms, not just recipes.
• Provide rapid response and leadership for process excursions and production issues.
• Support 24x7 manufacturing with on-site/on-call support and escalation.
• Willing to work swing shifts based on business needs.
• Drive development of next-generation wet chemistry formulations.
• Leverage AI/advanced analytics to improve process efficiency.

Skills

Wet processing

DOE/STATISTICAL

Process ownership

Analytical thinking

Education

MS or PhD in engineering or science

Tools

DOE software

Statistical analysis tools

Job description

At Nokia Optical Networks, advanced photonic technologies become scalable products powering the world's communication infrastructure. Our team develops and manufactures cutting‑edge Indium Phosphide (InP) photonic integrated circuits (PICs), enabling coherent optics, high-speed transceivers, tunable lasers, optical amplifiers, and next‑generation networking solutions.

As a Staff Wet Etch Process Engineer, you will develop, integrate, and optimize wet etch and wet clean processes used in the fabrication of advanced photonic devices. You will work hands‑on with wet processing equipment, chemical delivery systems, consumables, and metrology systems to improve dimensional control, selectivity, surface morphology, contamination performance, yield, and manufacturability.

• Develop, qualify, and sustain wet etch and wet clean processes for InP photonic integrated circuits and related optical devices.
• Optimize etch rate, selectivity, undercut control, surface roughness, uniformity, contamination control, and yield.
• Support fabrication of optical structures such as waveguides, SOAs, lasers, modulators, and passive optical components.
• Drive defect reduction and yield improvement using DOE, SPC, and statistical analysis.
• Analyze processes from a first‑principles, physics‑based approach to understand and manipulate mechanisms, not just recipes
• Provide rapid response and technical leadership for process excursions and production issues.
• Support a 24x7 manufacturing operation through on‑call/on‑site support and issue escalation.
• Demonstrates flexibility in work schedule and is willing to work swing shifts based on business requirements.
• Drive next‑generation wet chemistry formulations and process development
• Leverage AI and advanced analytics to improve process efficiency and decision making.

• MS or PhD in relevant engineering or science discipline.
• 5+ years semiconductor, photonics, or process engineering experience.
• Strong understanding of wet processing, surface chemistry, contamination control, DOE, and SPC.
• Strong ownership mindset and ability to independently drive projects and deliver results.
• Ability to prioritize and respond quickly to manufacturing challenges.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with semiconductor wet benches and automated wet processing equipment.
• Experience processing InP, GaAs, SiN, silicon photonics, or III‑V technologies.
• Passion for manufacturing excellence and continuous improvement.
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast‑paced fab environment balancing production and development priorities.