Principal R&D Scientist

Job Title

Principal R&D Scientist

Role Summary

Lead experimental and computational X‑Ray research to develop next‑generation metrology solutions for semiconductor manufacturing, with primary emphasis on CD‑SAXS and related X‑Ray techniques.

The role combines hands‑on X‑ray experiments, measurement-system validation, physics‑based modeling, and machine‑learning algorithm development to enable accurate structural, compositional, and dimensional characterization of microelectronic structures and advanced materials.

Experience Level

Senior / Principal level. This role is targeted at experienced researchers and scientists (typically 7+ years at the principal or senior R&D level).

Responsibilities

Work across experimental hardware, data analysis, modeling, and technical transfer to product teams.

• Operate, align, maintain, and calibrate X‑ray metrology equipment; design measurement recipes for throughput and signal quality.
• Collect data from reference and engineering samples; perform Gauge R&R and tool stability studies to quantify precision and uncertainty.
• Develop and validate physics‑based models (electromagnetic/scattering theory) to invert X‑ray measurements and extract thickness, composition, CDs, shape factors, tilt, and other parameters.
• Design and implement machine‑learning / AI methods to accelerate inversion, improve robustness, and automate data processing.
• Process and analyze datasets using scientific computing tools to identify trends and correlate to reference techniques (TEM, AFM, CD‑SEM, etc.).
• Establish error budgets and uncertainty estimates for metrology limits of detection and quantification.
• Document results: produce weekly summaries, technical reports, presentations, and hand off technical transfer packages to product and software engineering teams.
• Present findings to internal and external stakeholders and collaborate with multidisciplinary, geographically distributed teams.

Requirements

Must‑have technical skills, hands‑on experience, and professional attributes.

• Deep practical experience with advanced X‑ray techniques and CD‑SAXS data analysis (hands‑on experimentation and data processing).
• Experience conducting X‑ray experiments at synchrotron, national lab, or comparable advanced facility.
• Expertise in electromagnetic modeling, scattering theory, numerical simulation, and inverse‑problem methods for parameter estimation.
• Proven ability to develop analytical/numerical methods, optimization routines, signal processing, and statistical inference for measurement inversion.
• Familiarity with measurement‑system analysis: uncertainty quantification, error budgets, Gauge R&R, and metrology validation.
• Proficiency in scientific computing and data analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, or JMP.
• Experience applying machine‑learning / AI methods to scientific data, physical‑system modeling, or parameter extraction.
• Strong technical communication skills and demonstrated ability to produce technical reports and present to both peers and senior management.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams; willingness to travel up to 25%.
• Nice to have: knowledge of semiconductor devices, thin films, nanoscale structures, or microelectronics manufacturing; evidence of research impact (publications, patents, presentations).

Education Requirements

Ph.D. in physics, applied physics, materials science, chemical engineering, or a closely related technical field; equivalent research experience in X‑Ray science at an advanced research facility may be considered.

About the Company

Company: Onto Innovation

Headquarters: Wilmington, MA, United States

Onto Innovation develops process-control solutions for the semiconductor industry, offering optical inspection, 3D metrology, defect inspection, composition analysis, factory analytics, and lithography technologies to improve yield, performance, and reliability across the semiconductor value chain.