Staff Process Development Engineer, Etch
fab2Job Title
Staff Process Development Engineer, Etch
Role Summary
Senior hands-on process development engineer responsible for designing, executing, and optimizing etch and thin-film fabrication experiments in a small internal process team. The role combines recipe development, tool operation, data analysis, and troubleshooting to support device development and tool design.
Experience Level
Senior — Staff level. The posting requests extensive experience; guide: ~10+ years of relevant industry experience.
Responsibilities
Work in the lab and iterate quickly to develop and improve semiconductor process flows and tool behavior.
- Design and run experiments for etch, deposition, lithography, and related process steps.
- Review technical literature to inform experimental plans and propose new approaches.
- Operate and learn a range of semiconductor tools and metrology equipment.
- Develop, transfer, and optimize process recipes with a focus on consistency, yield, and throughput.
- Analyze process data, troubleshoot recipe or equipment issues, and document results clearly.
Requirements
Must-have practical skills and experience for hands-on process development.
- Proven track record developing nanofabrication recipes and multi-step fabrication flows.
- Experience operating dry etch, thin film deposition, and lithography tools.
- Hands-on cleanroom experience across multi-step device fabrication.
- Experience with recipe development and optimization for etch, deposition, or lithography.
- Familiarity with metrology: ellipsometry, profilometry, SEM, or similar.
- Experience mentoring or leading technical team members and working autonomously in R&D environments.
Nice-to-have:
- Mechanical or maintenance experience with fab tools.
- Full device-flow experience (end-to-end integration/testing).
Education Requirements
PhD required (posting states "PhD + 10 years of experience") with the option for equivalent practical experience in lieu of the degree. No specific fields of study were listed.
About the Company
Company: fab2
Headquarters: Austin, TX, United States
Early-stage hardware startup that designs and builds semiconductor fabrication equipment, tools, and the hardware/software needed to make fabs. Works on lithography, metrology, motion systems and related components; founded by Sam Zeloof and Jim Keller with offices in Austin and San Francisco.
