NPI Engineer

Job Title

NPI Engineer

Role Summary

Lead process engineering for assembly and packaging of silicon photonics products. This hands-on role develops robust, scalable manufacturing processes and transfers them to contract manufacturing partners, bridging design and high-volume production.

Experience Level

Mid-level — 5+ years of relevant experience in process engineering or NPI within semiconductor, electronics, or photonics packaging.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include process development, scalability, statistical control, yield improvement, and manufacturing transfer.

• Lead development, characterization, and optimization of assembly processes: precision die bonding, wire bonding, optical alignment, and wafer-level processing.
• Design, develop, and qualify manufacturing processes and equipment with a plan for ramping to high-volume manufacturing; define equipment specifications and design fixtures/tooling.
• Implement and manage Statistical Process Control (SPC); apply DOE and Cp/Cpk analysis to monitor process health and improve yield.
• Act as subject-matter expert for silicon photonics assembly (fiber attach, thermal management, high-density interconnects).
• Provide design-for-manufacturability (DFM) feedback to product design teams to ensure robust, high-yield designs.
• Drive root-cause analysis for yield excursions and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Prepare transfer documentation (work instructions, control plans, PFMEAs) and lead technical transfers to contract manufacturers.

Requirements

Must-have skills and experience are listed first; preferred qualifications follow.

• Must-have: 5+ years in a process engineering or NPI role within semiconductor, electronics, or photonics packaging.
• Must-have: Direct, hands-on experience with precision die bonding, wire bonding, optical alignment, and wafer-level processing.
• Must-have: Practical experience with silicon photonics device assembly and related packaging challenges.
• Must-have: Proficiency applying Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Design of Experiments (DOE).
• Must-have: Experience defining equipment specifications and supporting qualification of automated or semi-automated manufacturing equipment.
• Preferred: Track record of developing processes and ramping them into high-volume manufacturing.
• Preferred: Deep expertise in materials used in microelectronic and photonic assembly (epoxies, solders) and characterization techniques.
• Preferred: Experience with statistical analysis software such as JMP or Minitab and managing offshore contract manufacturers.

Education Requirements

Required: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related technical field. Preferred: Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant technical discipline.

About the Company

Company: Xscape Photonics

Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States

Developer of integrated photonics solutions and instrumentation, specializing in photonic circuits, control systems, and test methodologies for optical communication and sensing applications. Works on device integration, control algorithms, and validation of photonic hardware and firmware.