Principal Characterization-Failure Analysis Engineer

Job Title

Principal Characterization-Failure Analysis Engineer

Role Summary

Lead thermomechanical characterization and failure-analysis/debug activities for photonics sub-assemblies and associated silicon dies. Work across mechanical, thermal, packaging, and package-processing disciplines to identify root causes, define test methods, and drive corrective actions.

Experience Level

Senior — typically requires 10+ years of relevant engineering experience.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include:

• Perform thermomechanical characterization of sub-assemblies and silicon dies; design and execute tests for vibration, thermal, and mechanical-load behavior.
• Lead failure analysis and debug of opto-mechanical assembly process problems; identify root causes and recommend corrective actions.
• Apply structured root-cause tools (fishbone, hypothesis tables, 8D) and conduct FMEA.
• Analyze data and generate technical reports using tools such as Python, MATLAB, and JMP.
• Define and work with back-end semiconductor assembly processes and test equipment (die attach, wire bonding, AOI, optical coupling, flip chip, underfill).
• Use inspection and characterization equipment and interpret results to guide process improvements.
• Manage short deadlines, provide technical leadership in ambiguous situations, and collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Requirements

Essential qualifications and skills; separated into must-have and nice-to-have.

• Must-have: 10+ years applying engineering principles to debug complex failure analysis in opto-mechanical assembly processes.
• Must-have: Practical experience with root-cause analysis tools and FMEA.
• Must-have: Proficiency in data processing and analysis (Python, MATLAB, JMP).
• Must-have: Familiarity with back-end semiconductor assembly processes and inspection/test equipment (die attach, wire bonding, AOI).
• Must-have: Characterization experience with mechanical vibration testing, thermography, and mechanical load testers.
• Must-have: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, excellent written and verbal communication, and ability to lead in fast-paced environments.
• Nice-to-have: Exposure to photonics sub-assemblies and peripheral electrical-engineering experience.

Education Requirements

Master's degree or higher in an applicable engineering or physical-science discipline such as Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or Applied Physics. (The posting specifies a Master’s degree or higher.)

About the Company

Company: PsiQuantum

Headquarters: Palo Alto, CA, United States

PsiQuantum develops silicon-photonic quantum computers aimed at building million-qubit, fault-tolerant systems. Founded in 2016, the company combines semiconductor manufacturing processes, photonic hardware, and quantum software to scale quantum systems for commercial and government applications.