Process Engineer Sustaining

Wolfspeed•Durham, NC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Wolfspeed is seeking a highly motivated Process Engineer to join its Global Operations team and help drive manufacturing performance at its high-volume Materials factory in Durham, North Carolina. The role supports surface-finishing processes, including wafer grinding and chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), for Silicon Carbide (SiC) wafer manufacturing. It focuses on process optimization, problem solving, equipment improvements, and continuous improvement in a fast-paced production environment. The engineer works with Production, Equipment Engineering, Quality, and Operations teams to sustain and improve critical manufacturing processes, and provides technical leadership and mentorship within areas of process ownership.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering is required; disciplines may include Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
At least 2 years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
Experience troubleshooting process and equipment issues using structured engineering methodologies.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to make data-driven decisions.
Experience using SPC, Design of Experiments (DOE), data analysis, or process characterization techniques.
Demonstrated ability to identify opportunities, manage change, and successfully implement process improvements.
Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to collaborate across multiple organizations.
Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Willingness to provide occasional off-hours support for critical manufacturing or equipment issues.

Nice To Haves

Semiconductor manufacturing experience, particularly in advanced materials processing or high-volume manufacturing environments.
Direct experience with CMP, wafer grinding, polishing, lapping, thinning, surface finishing, or substrate processing technologies.
Experience working with SiC, advanced ceramics, or related engineered materials.
Knowledge of process qualification, equipment acceptance, process control plans, and manufacturing change management.
Experience with root cause analysis methodologies such as 8D, DMAIC, FMEA, Fishbone, or Fault Tree Analysis.
Familiarity with manufacturing data analysis tools such as JMP, Minitab, Power BI, or similar platforms.
Experience leading cross-functional improvement projects with measurable business results.

Responsibilities

Own and support CMP and wafer grinding processes for SiC wafer manufacturing.
Partner with Production, Equipment Engineering, Quality, and Operations teams to resolve manufacturing issues and support daily production priorities.
Investigate and respond to process excursions, out-of-control conditions, yield losses, and equipment-related issues using structured problem-solving methodologies.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on process capability, yield, throughput, cycle time, cost reduction, and manufacturing quality.
Analyze process and equipment data using Statistical Process Control (SPC) and other engineering analysis techniques to identify improvement opportunities.
Develop, qualify, and implement process changes while meeting safety, quality, and change-management requirements.
Lead process qualifications, equipment installations, acceptance activities, and technology transfers for new manufacturing equipment and processes.
Partner with Equipment Engineering to optimize preventive maintenance strategies and improve tool uptime and reliability.
Create, maintain, and improve manufacturing specifications, procedures, work instructions, and best-known methods.
Lead cross-functional projects from concept through implementation while meeting schedule, quality, and business objectives.
Support root cause investigations and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) using data-driven decision making.
Provide technical leadership and mentorship within areas of process ownership.