R&D AI & Intelligent Tool Development Engineer, Joint Development Modules (7735)

TSMC•San Jose, CA

21d•$150,000 - $250,000•Hybrid

About The Position

TSMC’s Advanced Tool and Module Development Function in R&D is establishing a new engineering team in the US as a direct extension of its organization in Taiwan. This newly formed team will serve as the on-site technical bridge and represent headquarter R&D teams in working shoulder-to-shoulder with US-based semiconductor equipment suppliers to shorten the AI-driven intelligence and process control development cycle from prototype to process verification. In this role, you will do more than manage vendor relations—you will co-develop and co-design next-generation and pre-alpha intelligent systems from the ground up. Your mission is to accelerate the hardware-software verification and commercialization pipeline, directly influencing the future of global semiconductor fabrication through autonomous systems. Because this team covers the entire spectrum of process modules (Etch, EPI, Thin Film, Wet, CMP, Metrology, etc.), TSMC is seeking versatile, brilliant minds who understand how AI algorithms and intelligent control directly impact process physics and tool performance. You will join us in our San Jose office, operating on a hybrid work schedule with 4 days in-office.

Requirements

2–10 years of experience and a Ph.D. in a STEM field (such as EE, ME, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, or Data Science) with a specialization in AI/ML, Process Modeling, PIML, Reinforcement Learning, or LLM applications for industrial automation
Deep expertise in closed-loop control theory, sensor fusion, and predictive maintenance algorithms.
Practical knowledge of Agentic AI, LLM integration, and building Copilot systems within secure engineering environments.
Understanding of Digital Twin architecture and physics-based modeling for semiconductor process simulation.

Nice To Haves

Strong cross-functional communication and negotiation skills to effectively collaborate with external supplier executives and internal TSMC R&D teams.
A thriving mindset in an ambiguous, fast-paced, "pre-alpha" R&D environment.

Responsibilities

Co-Design & Joint Development: Partner deeply with key US tool suppliers to drive the engineering, architecture, and design of pre-alpha and next-generation process chambers and hardware systems.
Intelligent Control & Performance: Lead the development of in-situ sensor fusion and closed-loop control systems to optimize tool performance. Drive initiatives for tool-to-tool matching and predictive health monitoring to achieve superior cost efficiency and ESG targets.
Agentic AI & Digital Twin: Architect Agentic AI capabilities via secure infrastructure to automate complex engineering workflows, enabling autonomous execution. Develop Digital Twin strategies to dramatically shorten the cycle from R&D to high-volume manufacturing (HVM).
Cross-Module Collaboration: Interface with R&D headquarter module teams to deliver robust AI-driven modeling, intelligent control, and autonomous execution on supplier sites.
Technical Leadership: Act as the on-site TSMC AI technical expert in California, guiding supplier software and data engineering teams to align with TSMC’s aggressive technology roadmap.