Application Development Engineer (Semiconductor)

INFICON•East Syracuse, NY

21h

About The Position

The Application Development Engineer will develop and advance Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) applications for semiconductor and display manufacturing processes. Working with major customers and INFICON field application teams around the world, this role investigates process and equipment challenges, develops and validates QCM-based solutions, and demonstrates their value in real-world applications. As the team’s QCM application specialist, the engineer provides technical consulting to field application engineers and customers, develops application best-known methods, troubleshoots complex application and product-performance issues, and collaborates with Product Management and R&D to improve existing solutions and explore new QCM sensor concepts. The role also involves developing applications for manufacturing equipment and process tools, interpreting sensor data, designing and conducting experiments, evaluating instruments, documenting and presenting findings, and communicating technical recommendations to customers and internal teams. The position requires a master’s degree in a relevant technical discipline and at least five years of experience in commercial semiconductor manufacturing process or equipment engineering. A related Ph.D. is desirable. The expected salary range is $90,000 to $110,000 annually. Employees are eligible for a profit-sharing bonus with a 10% target and a 401(k) match of up to 8%, subject to a vesting schedule. INFICON describes its work environment as dynamic, inclusive, Lean, and Agile, with flexible work hours and green initiatives. Relocation assistance and employee benefits are also offered.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or a related technical field.
At least 5 years of experience in commercial semiconductor manufacturing process or equipment engineering.
Ability and drive to develop a strong understanding of semiconductor processes and tools, yield improvements, and novel approaches to problem-solving.
Strong curiosity and technical initiative, including the ability to investigate complex process and equipment problems, develop hypotheses, design experiments, analyze data, and drive problems toward practical solutions.
Excellent problem-solving, listening, written and verbal communication, and presentation skills.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build effective relationships with internal teams, field application engineers, and customers.
Ability to adapt to changing field and customer situations and manage multiple technical priorities.
Self-motivated ability to work independently while contributing actively to a collaborative team.

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. in a related technical field.
Experience in semiconductor fabs.
Hands-on experience in a research lab or with semiconductor process equipment in a fab, equipment supplier, or laboratory environment.
Direct experience with Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) technology.
Experience with thin-film deposition, chamber-clean monitoring, semiconductor process monitoring, or other applications relevant to QCM technology.
Experience with Residual Gas Analysis (RGA), Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES), RF sensing, or other semiconductor process-monitoring technologies.

Responsibilities

Develop product applications on semiconductor and display manufacturing equipment and process tools.
Interpret sensor data to characterize, optimize, and troubleshoot semiconductor equipment and processes.
Work with field applications teams to create custom integration solutions for new and existing INFICON products.
Advise field engineers and customers as a technical consultant, including on application best-known methods.
Coordinate with local Sales & Support, factory engineering, and product management to align solutions with customer needs.
Troubleshoot critical product-performance issues at the hardware level and monitor installed equipment through periodic audits.
Participate in customer meetings, escalations, and discussions of new opportunities.
Communicate technical requirements and recommendations to Product and Account Management when developing solutions, including where standard offerings may not be suitable.
Interface with counterparts in other locations to pursue opportunities.
Design and execute design-of-experiments (DOEs), analyze and present findings, and quantify technical and business value, including customer return on investment.
Document laboratory work and evaluations of INFICON and competitor instruments.
Develop and present customer presentations about products and applications.
Write application bulletins and technical articles for publication with the Corporate Communications Department.