Director Semiconductor Application Engineering

Sibelco•Charlotte, NC

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Build Sibelco's application-led semiconductor capability and help transform HPQ from a raw-material offering into a strategic technology partnership. The role connects customer process requirements with product engineering, qualification, T&I and manufacturing, enabling Sibelco to influence customer roadmaps, accelerate qualification, strengthen value-in-use arguments and co-develop next-generation HPQ solutions. The Director serves as a senior technical counterpart to semiconductor fabs, wafer and crucible producers, fused-quartz fabricators and semiconductor equipment OEMs. The role engages customer process engineering, R&D, quality and technology-roadmap teams at the application level, and leads technical conversations across crucibles, fused-quartz consumables, clean thermal applications, etch and other targeted semiconductor applications. The position maps customer process conditions, failure modes and performance requirements to HPQ material properties; translates application needs into product targets; and co-leads application-specific development and validation. It also supports qualification strategy and technical problem solving, assesses technology trends and alternative materials, contributes to product and capacity roadmaps, and builds application knowledge and capability across Sibelco teams.

Requirements

Master's degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Semiconductor Engineering, Physics, Ceramics, Glass Science or a related discipline.
Typically 10 to 15 years of relevant experience in semiconductor equipment, device manufacturing, process integration, semiconductor materials, fused quartz or high-purity materials.
Demonstrated experience translating process or device requirements into material or component specifications.
Experience with customer qualification, change control, failure analysis and cross-functional technical problem solving.
Credibility engaging technical leaders within equipment OEMs, fabs, wafer producers, crucible manufacturers or quartzware fabricators.
Experience leading technical work across multiple regions and organisational boundaries.

Nice To Haves

PhD in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Semiconductor Engineering, Physics, Ceramics, Glass Science or a related discipline.
Background in semiconductor equipment or process technology companies such as Lam Research, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, Kokusai, ASM or comparable organisations.
Background in device, foundry or memory manufacturers such as Intel, TSMC, Samsung, Micron or comparable organisations.
Background in quartz, crucible or materials companies such as Heraeus, Momentive, QSIL, SUMCO, Shin-Etsu or comparable organisations.

Responsibilities

Act as a senior technical counterpart to semiconductor fabs, wafer and crucible producers, fused-quartz fabricators and semiconductor equipment OEMs.
Engage customer process engineering, R&D, quality and technology-roadmap teams at the application level rather than limiting discussions to material specifications.
Lead technically credible conversations across crucibles, fused-quartz consumables, clean thermal applications, etch and other targeted semiconductor applications.
Build structured engagement plans for strategic ecosystem participants, including equipment makers, fabricators, research institutes and end users.
Map customer process conditions, failure modes and performance requirements to relevant HPQ material properties.
Translate application requirements into product targets covering impurity chemistry, hydroxyl content, particle-size distribution, fusion behaviour, bubble formation, devitrification, viscosity and component lifetime.
Co-lead application-specific product development and validation with T&I, operations, external laboratories and customers.
Develop value-in-use dossiers linking HPQ characteristics to yield, component life, particles, downtime, process stability and qualification risk.
Provide application-level input to qualification strategy while Technical Sales & Customer Qualification retains milestone and quality-interface ownership.
Support root-cause analysis of qualification failures and customer performance issues, converting findings into product, process or specification improvement actions.
Define testing protocols, acceptance criteria and evidence packages for application validation.
Capture and reuse qualification learning across customers, applications and regions.
Monitor semiconductor process evolution, including advanced logic, memory, HBM, advanced packaging and trends that may change quartz performance requirements.
Assess application-level threats and opportunities from synthetic silica, silicon carbide, ceramics and other alternative materials.
Identify defend, grow, explore and no-go application zones based on technical fit, qualification barriers and value creation.
Provide technical insight to long-range HPQ product and capacity roadmaps.
Create and maintain a central application knowledge repository combining analytical, modelling, laboratory, qualification and customer information.
Publish internal application guides, customer-facing technical papers and training materials.
Coach Strategic Account Sales, Technical Sales, T&I and operations teams in semiconductor applications and customer process requirements.
Help recruit and develop additional application engineers as customer demand and the co-development pipeline scale.