Recent Graduate-Process Engineer – Semiconductor Wafer Fabrication

Keysight Technologies, Inc.•Santa Rosa, CA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Keysight’s High Frequency Technology Center (HFTC) is seeking a recent graduate for an R&D Process Engineer role developing, maintaining, and optimizing manufacturing processes used to fabricate passive silicon interposer substrates for Keysight’s Heterogeneous Integration technology. The role focuses on process development, manufacturing sustainability, and R&D support for new product introductions, with specialization in wafer fabrication. The position is onsite at Keysight headquarters in Santa Rosa, California. The engineer will develop and sustain custom micro- and nano-fabrication technologies, work across engineering and operations teams, improve process control and product yield, and support the successful transfer of processes to manufacturing partners. Depending on the candidate’s expertise, work may include vacuum-based wafer fabrication processes, electroplating, chemical mechanical planarization, surface preparation, and metrology. The role requires several hours of cleanroom work each day and flexibility between cleanroom and office environments. Candidates must be local to or willing to relocate to Santa Rosa. The position also requires eligibility to access export-controlled items under applicable U.S. regulations.

Requirements

Recent graduate in 2026 or degree completed by June 2027.
M.S. or Ph.D. in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a relevant field, coupled with applicable experience, training, and interest in semiconductor fabrication processes; B.S. graduates with relevant experimental research experience or internships will also be considered.
Expertise, academic training, or internship experience in one or more of the following: cleanroom or related experimental research; process development and data-driven process optimization; or problem-solving and analytical skills for controlling process variation.
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written, and presentation communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical information clearly and present data to small and large audiences.
Ability to collaborate productively across cross-functional teams.
Strong accountability, self-initiative, and a proactive attitude.
Local to or willing to relocate to Santa Rosa, California.
Comfortable working in a cleanroom for several hours each day, handling real products, and flexing time between cleanroom and office environments.
Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual, or otherwise have U.S. government authorization to access export-controlled items as specified in the posting.

Nice To Haves

Industrial semiconductor process experience.
Familiarity with vacuum systems, RF power delivery, gas flow control, and chamber hardware configurations.
Experience with III-V compound semiconductors and/or silicon technologies.
Experience with thermal, mechanical, and electrical reliability.
Experience with project lifecycle.

Responsibilities

Develop and sustain custom micro- and nano-fabrication technologies, focusing on process development, manufacturing sustainability, and R&D support for new product introductions.
Drive process control and stability through statistical process control, root cause analysis, and corrective actions using statistical tools such as JMP.
Work with process, integration, product, and circuit design engineers to define process and performance targets.
Define process flows, develop new processes, and lead continuous process improvement efforts to maximize product yield.
Develop and maintain high yields; report process metrics, root cause investigations, and process change implementations at the department level.
Ensure successful process handoff to manufacturing partners.
Work with Operations to implement robust process control, support production processes, and urgently diagnose and resolve process problems.
Lead capital equipment acquisition projects, including tool evaluation, characterization, process development, and qualification.
Propose Design of Experiment plans, conduct experiments, and implement process changes in a controlled manner.
Collaborate with equipment engineering on tool performance optimization, preventive maintenance strategies, and throughput enhancements.
Meet accelerated project schedules and communicate and manage risks.
Depending on expertise, work in wafer fabrication processes such as PECVD/CVD, dry etch, PVD/sputtering, ashing, other vacuum-based processes, electroplating, CMP, solvent strip, surface cleaning, and preparation.
Depending on expertise, use metrology techniques and equipment such as profilometry, ellipsometry, SEM, XRF, optical microscopy, and automatic inspection.