Position Summary:
SkyWater Technology is seeking a Staff Photolithography Process Engineer with 4 plus years of experience in development and sustaining high‑volume manufacturing environments, leading process characterization and development initiatives, and driving collaboration across cross‑functional fab teams.
Major Areas of Accountability:
- Develop, optimize, characterize, and sustain photolithography processes for high volume manufacturing environment.
- Own and sustain production lithography processes, driving continuous improvements in yield, defectivity, critical dimension (CD), overlay, throughput, and cost.
- Develop process control strategies and recommend appropriate metrology and monitoring plans to maintain process stability and capability.
- Monitor inline and end-of-line statistical process control (SPC) charts to identify trends, excursions, and abnormal process behavior, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
- Analyze process data to identify sources of variation, process marginalities, and opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Investigate lithography-related defects, patterning failures, CD variation, overlay errors, and yield losses using structured problem-solving, statistical analysis, and design of experiments (DOE).
- Collaborate with equipment, integration, and cross-functional engineering teams to troubleshoot process and equipment issues and improve manufacturing capability.
- Develop new lithography processes and execute qualification plans for new chemicals, materials, and process changes.
- Lead engineering projects to close process performance gaps, achieve milestones, and deliver measurable improvements in yield, productivity, and cost.
- Apply data mining, programming, scripting, and statistical analysis techniques to improve process understanding and engineering efficiency.
- Communicate technical findings and present data-driven recommendations effectively while building strong working relationships across engineering, manufacturing, and support organizations.
- Manage multiple projects independently, demonstrate strong technical ownership, and consistently deliver commitments in a high-volume semiconductor manufacturing environment.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in engineering or a related technical field.
- 4 plus years of experience in photolithography process engineering experience in a high volume mass production environment.
- Applied knowledge of photolithography processes, process optimization, overlay and alignment improvement, and critical dimension (CD) variation reduction.
- Tools: Experience optimizing process on TEL tracks and ASML Steppers & Scanners (I Line, KrF, & dry ArF).
- Chemicals: Experience setting up and optimizing Resist process with & without TARCs or BARCs on existing fab tool.
- Metrology: Experience with Overlay on ARCHER tools and CD job writing on NANOSEM & HITACHI SEMs
Preferred Qualifications:
- Strong understanding of semiconductor photolithography processes, equipment, and manufacturing operations.
- Hands-on experience developing and characterizing lithography processes, including process windows and overlay margins.
- Demonstrated proficiency in statistical process control (SPC), design of experiments (DOE), data mining, and process data analysis.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a meticulous, data-driven approach to process improvement.
- Experience identifying process variation, reducing defectivity, improving yield, and addressing process marginalities in a production environment.
- Strong communication, project management, and cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
The annual salary range for this role is $94,320 - $141,480. Pay offered is based on many factors, including, but not limited to, the job-related experience, skills, education, and credentials of each candidate.
SkyWater offers an exciting environment where the brightest semiconductor minds come together to achieve exceptional results. We offer competitive salary and an opportunity to participate in incentive plans as well as other employee financial benefits, including 401k match, and life insurance.
Additionally, SkyWater offers a comprehensive benefits package which promotes a healthy life. This includes benefit eligibility day one, medical, dental, mental health benefits, vision, legal planning, short- and long-term disability, paid time off, paid holidays, an on-site fitness facility, and an on-site self-serve market.
SkyWater complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities unless doing so would cause an undue hardship. Alternative methods of applying for employment are available to individuals unable to submit an application through this site because of a disability. To request reasonable accommodations, to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Human Resources at 952-851-5200 or [email protected].
EOE, including disability/vets
Skills Required
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering or a related technical field
- 4 or more years of photolithography process engineering experience in a high-volume mass-production environment
- Applied knowledge of photolithography processes, process optimization, overlay and alignment improvement, and critical dimension variation reduction
- Experience optimizing processes on TEL tracks and ASML steppers and scanners, including I-line, KrF, and dry ArF
- Experience setting up and optimizing resist processes with and without TARCs or BARCs on existing fabrication tools
- Experience with overlay on ARCHER tools and CD job writing on NANOSEM and HITACHI SEMs
- Strong understanding of semiconductor photolithography processes, equipment, and manufacturing operations
- Hands-on experience developing and characterizing lithography processes, including process windows and overlay margins
- Proficiency in SPC, DOE, data mining, and process data analysis
- Analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven approach to process improvement
- Experience identifying process variation, reducing defectivity, improving yield, and addressing process marginalities in production
- Strong communication, project management, and cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently
What We Do
SkyWater is the only U.S.-owned and U.S.-based pure play semiconductor foundry and is a DOD-accredited Trusted supplier, specializing in custom technology development services and volume manufacturing for integrated circuits and micro devices. Through its Technology Foundry model, SkyWater’s world-class operations and unique processing capabilities enable mixed-signal CMOS, power, rad-hard and ROIC solutions. SkyWater’s Advanced Technology Services empower development of superconducting and 3D ICs, along with carbon nanotube, photonic and MEMS devices. The company serves customers in growing markets such as aerospace & defense, automotive, biomedical, cloud & computing, consumer, industrial, and IoT. For more information, please visit: www.skywatertechnology.com/.
