NPI Engineer

Job Title

NPI Engineer

Role Summary

Hands-on process engineering role focused on developing and transferring assembly and packaging processes for silicon photonics products. The role bridges design and high-volume manufacturing, owning process development, characterization, and scale-up for contract manufacturing partners.

Experience Level

Mid-level (Level - Mid-Career). Expectation: 5+ years in process engineering or NPI roles within semiconductor, electronics, or photonics packaging industries.

Responsibilities

Lead development, qualification, and transfer of assembly and packaging processes to enable robust, scalable manufacturing.

• Develop, characterize, and optimize assembly processes including precision die bonding, wire bonding, optical alignment, and wafer-level processing.
• Design processes and equipment with a clear path to high-volume manufacturing; define equipment specs and drive custom fixtures/tooling design.
• Implement and manage Statistical Process Control (SPC); apply DOE and Cp/Cpk analysis to monitor and improve process yield.
• Serve as subject-matter expert for silicon photonics assembly challenges such as fiber attach, thermal management, and high-density interconnects.
• Provide design-for-manufacturability feedback to design engineering to ensure new products are manufacturable at scale.
• Lead root-cause analysis for yield excursions and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Create manufacturing documentation (work instructions, control plans, PFMEAs) and lead technical transfer to contract manufacturers.

Requirements

Key skills and experience required and preferred for success in this role.

• Must-have: 5+ years in process engineering or NPI within semiconductor, electronics, or photonics packaging industries.
• Must-have: Direct, hands-on experience developing and sustaining precision die bonding, wire bonding, optical alignment, and wafer-level processes.
• Must-have: Demonstrated experience with silicon photonics device assembly and packaging processes.
• Must-have: Proficiency with Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Design of Experiments (DOE) to diagnose and improve manufacturing processes.
• Must-have: Experience driving yield improvement, root-cause analysis, and implementing robust corrective actions.
• Must-have: Experience creating process documentation and leading manufacturing transfer to contract manufacturers.
• Nice-to-have: Proven track record ramping processes into high-volume manufacturing and specifying/qualifying automated or semi-automated equipment.
• Nice-to-have: Deep expertise in materials used in microelectronic and photonic assembly (epoxies, solders) and characterization techniques.
• Nice-to-have: Experience with statistical analysis tools such as JMP or Minitab and managing offshore contract manufacturers.
• Nice-to-have: Strong problem-solving skills and a hands-on, data-driven approach.

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.