Materials Quality Engineer, Texas Institute for Electronics

The University of Texas at Austin•Austin, TX

20h•Onsite

About The Position

The Texas Institute for Electronics (TIE) is seeking a Materials Quality Engineer to join their team. This role is crucial for ensuring the quality and uninterrupted operation of the FAB (Fabrication Facility). The engineer will be responsible for tracking material usage, verifying Certificate of Analysis (CoA) data, managing supplier quality, correlating material quality to product quality, and coordinating critical semiconductor manufacturing materials. TIE is a significant initiative supported by the University of Texas at Austin, focused on advancing 3D Heterogenous Integration manufacturing technology and providing pilot manufacturing capabilities for national security and economic growth. With substantial funding from the US DoD and the state of Texas, TIE is at the forefront of developing cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing equipment and processes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related engineering discipline with at least six years of work experience in one of these fields.
Hands-on experience in a semiconductor manufacturing FAB environment.
Familiarity with various FAB departments and operational requirements.
Experience with fab consumables and materials.
Knowledge of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and data analysis.
Experience with materials characterization techniques such as ICP-MS, VPD, or similar analytical methods.
Must qualify as a U.S. Person as defined in 22 CFR § 120.62.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or higher in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related engineering discipline and more than six years of work experience in one of these fields.
Strong cross-functional collaboration and communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple vendors and internal stakeholders.
Data-driven problem-solving mindset.
Strong organizational and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

Develop a comprehensive understanding of the UT material ordering and procurement processes, identify weaknesses, and minimize the Turnaround Time (TAT) for best quality material acquisition.
Establish and maintain close relationships with all critical material suppliers, including bulk gases and chems, specialty gases and chem, PR, CMP materials, targets, wafers, and other materials required for FAB operations.
Work closely with vendors to obtain and maintain Certificates of Analysis (CoA) for batch-level data for incoming materials and relate that with FAB performance.
Ensure vendor documentation and batch traceability are properly collected and stored in secure internal systems.
Create and maintain a structured database of vendor quality data linked to internal fab signals, material usage, and inline process data.
Perform Statistical Process Control (SPC) and data analysis to correlate material properties with various inline and end-of-line process performance.
Identify opportunities to improve incoming material quality and process stability through data-driven insights.
Support reports and dashboards that highlight material trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
Work with internal analytical laboratories to conduct material characterization and contamination analysis using advanced analytical techniques such as ICP-MS, VPD, and other surface and chemical characterization techniques.
Establish and maintain incoming material quality verification protocols to ensure compliance with fab specifications.
Develop and implement incoming material quality (IQC) processes as needed for TIE with internal or external collaboration.
Partner with Fab Engineering teams to forecast material consumption and understand process-specific material requirements.
Act as a liaison between Procurement, Fab Engineering, and Vendors to ensure materials are ordered and delivered on time.
Support procurement teams by providing technical guidance on material specifications, vendor performance, and quality requirements.
Assist in preventing material shortages by aligning ordering schedules with forecasted production demand.
Lead initiatives to improve vendor material quality and consistency.
Engage directly with vendors to resolve quality issues and implement corrective actions.
Publish material quality performance data internally to support continuous improvement initiatives.
Work with internal teams to define and update material specifications and acceptance criteria.

Benefits

Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with 8.25% employer matching funds
Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning
Professional conference opportunities
Tuition assistance
Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets
Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card
Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card