Manufacturing Process Engineer II

PHOTRONICS INC•Boise, ID

18h•Onsite

About The Position

The Equipment Engineer for Etch Tools is responsible for the performance, reliability, and continuous improvement of etch equipment within a photomask fabrication facility. This role owns tool uptime, process stability, and defect contribution, ensuring that etch systems consistently meet production, quality, and yield targets. Working closely with Process Engineering, Manufacturing, and Facilities teams, the engineer drives preventive maintenance strategies, leads troubleshooting and root cause analysis, and supports equipment installation, qualification, and optimization. This position plays a critical role in maintaining pattern fidelity, defect control, and overall manufacturing performance.

Requirements

Semiconductor manufacturing flow and cleanroom operations.
Etch technology proficiency – plasma,/dry etch, gas delivery systems, RF power systems.
Equipment performance metrics (uptime, MTBF, MTTR, defectivity).
SPC, data analysis, and statistical problem-solving methods.
Project management for tool installs, upgrades, and qualifications.
Effective cross-functional collaboration (process, manufacturing, facilities, vendors).
5-7 years of hands-on experience in semiconductor manufacturing, photolithography, photomask engineering.
3+ years of experience in semiconductor, photomask, or advanced microfabrication manufacturing, with direct experience in photolithography or patterning processes.
Hands-on experience with etch systems (plasma, dry etch, or wet etch preferred).
Background in supporting tool installation, qualification, and upgrades.
Familiarity with troubleshooting methodologies and equipment optimization between PM cycles.
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or related field.

Responsibilities

Own etch tool performance, including uptime, reliability, and process stability.
Monitor equipment health, alarms, and performance metrics; respond to and resolve tool excursions.
Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for equipment-related failures and process deviations.
Develop and optimize preventive maintenance (PM) and calibration strategies to improve MTBF and reduce MTTR.
Support installation, qualification, and acceptance testing of new etch equipment, upgrades, and process changes.
Collaborate with Process Engineers to improve etch uniformity, profile control, CD performance, reduce defects.
Analyze tool and process data (SPC, fault detection, trend analysis) to identify improvement opportunities.
Partner with vendors and internal teams to troubleshoot complex equipment issues and drive long-term fixes.
Develop and maintain equipment documentation, SOPs, and maintenance procedures.
Ensure compliance with cleanroom protocols, safety standards, and EHS requirements, particularly for plasma systems and hazardous gases/chemicals.
Support audits, continuous improvement initiatives, and training of technicians.