Equipment Engineer (Semiconductor Manufacturing)

Summary

The Equipment Engineer works closely with the production line (wafer and chip), R&D, EHS (Environmental health & safety), and facility departments to equip AOI with the most up-to-date and state-of-the-art technology in manufacturing and research development, and to support the routine operation and future growth of the semiconductor products division. In this position, the engineer is also responsible for a variety of other tasks such as managing equipment, monitoring status, equipment installation, routine maintenance, preventative maintenance (PM), automation, modifications, calibrations, decontamination, troubleshooting and repairing the tools for wafer process, wafer growth, and chip production groups. Equipment engineers are also responsible to maintain the spare parts inventory and equipment backup.

Job Duties

• For new equipment installation and qualification to meet the company long-term growth:

  • Review the design of the new installation.

  • Develop equipment specifications, acceptance test criteria, and risk analysis.

  • Work with vendors to schedule, prioritize, develop, document, and implement new equipment lines and upgrades.

  • Install new equipment and convert or upgrade existing equipment.

  • Work with process engineers to commission and qualify new equipment and processes.

  • Track progress and keep up the schedule.

  • Develop and maintain safety and standard operation procedures.

  • Manage new equipment training, certification, safety, and job hazard assessment.

• For existing equipment management:

  • Track equipment performance and reduce downtime (MTTR and MTBF).

  • Analyze and troubleshoot equipment issues to find the root cause.

  • Co-work with process engineers to support production line and R&D.

  • Work with tool/equipment vendors when issues cannot be taken care of in-house.

  • Manage spare parts and backup equipment, reduce cost and improve operation efficiency.

  • Support internal, 3rd party, and vendor audits including equipment annual physical count.

  • Participate in determining and providing an optimum plan of operation, equipment, space requirements, and related facilities for assigned areas.

  • Provide the production team with in-depth training and technical guidance.

  • Develop/Review/Revise work instructions and procedures in support of manufacturing processes.

  • Help to resolve manufacturing constraints, ease the production line and reduce risk.

  • Support the development and implementation of new methods, processes, and equipment in the manufacturing operation.

  • Setup and maintain the preventive maintenance schedule.

• Manage SPD fab and cleanrooms, including:

  • Lab temperature, humidity, partial pressure, particulate counts and air circulation.

  • DI water supply and purity monitoring.

  • Chilled water system management.

  • Toxic gas and high-pressure gas management.

  • Work with EHS on toxic waste treatment including solid, liquid, and gas waste.

• Work schedule will often require on-call for nights and weekends as any equipment related issue should be addressed and resolved immediately to minimize down time to the production line.

• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Level dependent and may supervise other coworkers and technicians.

Qualifications

• Bachelor or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or related field required

• Minimum 5 years of directly related work experience in the semiconductor manufacturing and cleanroom environment

• Hands-on experience in dealing with mechanical, vacuum systems, electrical, and liquid/chemical tools

• Ability to designing homemade equipment systems is a plus

• Must be comfortable handling chemicals, including corrosive acids, bases, solvents, etc

• Must be comfortable with wearing cleanroom attire (class 1000) every day without any make-up.

• Extensive experience in developing or maintaining various wafer process steps including photolithography, wet and dry etching, chemical vapor deposition, metal deposition, and electrochemical plating is a plus

• Familiar with inspection tools including optical microscope, profilometer, ellipsometer, and SEM (scanning electron microscope)

• Familiar with LabVIEW, MS Access, SQL, or JMP a plus

• Familiar with mask aligner, hot plates, oven, PECVD, E-beam evaporator, thermal processing, and PLC control a plus

• Strong data analysis skills and be able to make decisions based on an effective summary of data

• Strong troubleshooting, monitoring, and problem-solving skills

• Ability to communicate effectively across all business levels and functions

• Available to work the night shift when necessary

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, the associate may need the ability to lift and carry loads up to 50 pounds, stand and/or walk for 10+ hrs. daily and climb stairs.
• Subject to extreme heat; may work in high, exposed places.
• Subject to noise, vibration, dust, and odors.
• Subject to hazards. Includes a variety of physical conditions, such as proximity to moving mechanical parts, moving vehicles, electrical current, or exposure to chemicals.
• The engineer may work in a manufacturing environment which will require the engineer to wear cleanroom garments and other personal protective equipment.