Semiconductor Process Engineer

Vertical Semiconductor•Somerville, MA

21h•Onsite

About The Position

Vertical Semiconductor, a venture-backed MIT spin-out, is leading the development of vertical gallium nitride (GaN) power electronics to build the foundational power layer for the next generation of compute and AI. We're hiring a Semiconductor Process Engineer to join the team fabricating our vertical GaN devices. This is a hands-on, high-impact role focused on running process steps quickly and reliably. We’re looking for a process engineer to spend a majority of their time in the cleanroom fabricating devices and test structures. You’ll work closely with the fabrication team, receiving training on each step within the process, and ultimately sharing the responsibility of device fabrication from start to finish with other team members. Being a startup, we want to make full use of the cleanroom hours and request flexible work hours in the form of either early mornings or late evenings from fabrication team members. This is a great fit for an early or mid-career engineer who wants to build deep, practical fabrication skills in a wide range of techniques and see their work translate directly into working devices. Responsibilities and compensation will scale based on relevant experience.

Requirements

B.S., M.S., or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
Prior hands-on cleanroom experience
Familiarity with standard microfabrication processes such as photolithography, deposition, wet and dry etching techniques, and metallization
Comfortable operating and following detailed standard operating procedures for sensitive cleanroom equipment
Willingness to work a flexible schedule that includes some early mornings and/or late evenings to support cleanroom coverage.
Strong attention to detail and disciplined record-keeping
A collaborative, hands-on mentality and the drive to learn quickly in a fast-moving startup environment

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with GaN, SiC, or other compound semiconductor processing
Experience with probe station measurements or basic device characterization
Familiarity with wafer dicing and substrate handling
Exposure to process development or yield improvement work
Experience developing patent materials

Responsibilities

Execute end-to-end steps through established process recipes, maintaining tight adherence to process documentation and run logs
Support fast iteration on fabrication cycles, helping reduce overall cleanroom cycle time through efficient tool scheduling and handoffs
Perform routine inspections to verify process quality and flag deviations early
Assist with substrate preparation and dicing of incoming wafer material
Maintain clear, accurate process records to support troubleshooting and knowledge sharing across the team
Coordinate tool reservations and work alongside other engineers in a shift-based coverage model to maximize cleanroom throughput
Contribute to process improvements and support exploratory work as capacity allows