Dry Etch Engineer (SMTS) - Advanced NAND

Job Title

Dry Etch Engineer (SMTS) - Advanced NAND

Role Summary

As a Senior Member of Technical Staff (SMTS) in Dry Etch, you will define, develop, and transfer advanced dry etch processes for Micron's next-generation NAND technologies. You will lead technology development, collaborate with process integration and manufacturing, and own process roadmaps to meet program and yield goals.

You will work with state-of-the-art dry etch chambers and cross-functional teams across Wet Etch, CVD, Diffusion, Metals, Lithography, and CMP to deliver manufacturable processes that meet structural and electrical specifications.

Experience Level

Senior-level. Target candidates have approximately 12–15 years of dry etch process development experience, including about 7–10 years in memory products (NAND or DRAM).

Responsibilities

Lead dry etch technology development and drive cross-functional execution:

• Own key NAND dry etch process levels and translate technology challenges into executable roadmaps for N, N+1, and N+2 nodes.
• Serve as the primary Dry Etch representative in program and module meetings for owned process areas.
• Drive multi-functional execution across Technology Development, Process Integration, and Manufacturing.
• Develop and innovate dry etch processes to meet structural and electrical device specifications.
• Lead FOAK process development including recipe architecture, EPD strategy, control plans, and integration alignment.
• Establish tool redundancy, run-to-run controls, and E3 monitors to improve robustness and manufacturability.
• Meet process maturity, CSPEC, SPC, and qualification criteria and timelines for owned process levels.
• Provide clear technical status and risk updates to program stakeholders and present roadmaps in executive meetings.
• Collaborate with equipment and supplier teams to define and implement process-level hardware roadmaps.
• Apply model-based and data-driven problem solving to resolve complex yield, defectivity, and integration issues.
• Mentor MTS engineers, interns, and early-career staff and contribute to technical leadership programs.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills, experience, and behaviors:

• Extensive experience in dry etch process development and transferring processes to manufacturing, preferably in NAND, DRAM, or logic.
• In-depth knowledge of plasma physics, plasma chemistry, transport, or surface phenomena.
• Familiarity with various plasma dry etch reactors, RF sources, and etch chemistries.
• Expertise in statistical process control (SPC) and process analysis.
• Experience solving scalability issues for deep high-aspect-ratio silicon/dielectric etches and using advanced pulsing schemes.
• Proven ability to independently drive technical execution, influence multi-functional teams, and manage technical projects.
• Strong data analysis and model-based problem-solving skills.
• Strong computer skills, including MS Office and statistical tools such as JMP (or equivalent).
• Excellent presentation skills and ability to communicate technical status to executives and stakeholders.
• Nice-to-have: AI development or coding capability for data-driven process work.

Education Requirements

PhD in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Materials Science, Physics, Chemical Physics, Chemistry, Semiconductor Engineering, or a related field (with at least 12 years of relevant dry etch process development experience). Alternatively, BS or MS in those fields with at least 15 years of relevant dry etch process development experience. Relevant advanced degrees or equivalent industry experience required.

About the Company

Company: Micron Technology

Headquarters: Boise, Idaho, USA

Micron Technology is a global leader in memory and storage solutions, dedicated to transforming how the world uses information. The company offers a diverse portfolio of high-performance DRAM, NAND, and NOR memory products under the Micron and Crucial brands. With a commitment to customer focus and technological innovation, Micron drives advancements in artificial intelligence, 5G, and other data-centric applications, empowering users to learn, communicate, and progress.