Senior Engineer/Scientist

Qnity•Newark, DE

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Qnity’s R&D team is seeking a scientist or engineer to develop as a hands-on technical contributor and future technical leader supporting next-generation chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) consumables and processes. The role combines scientific investigation, cleanroom and polishing experimentation, mechanical design and fixture development, materials and surface characterization, data analysis, and practical problem solving to advance understanding of CMP mechanisms and performance. The successful candidate will translate physical understanding into practical decisions by working directly with laboratory and cleanroom equipment. This includes building or modifying fixtures and experimental systems, handling samples, running tests, troubleshooting unexpected behavior, analyzing data, and validating conclusions against physical observations and process results. Coding, data analytics, and automation are useful when they improve experimental execution, data quality, workflow efficiency, or technical insight. The person in this position will independently lead fundamental studies that support internal technology development and external customer needs, while developing expertise in tribology, advanced process characterization, experimental methods, and CMP science. They will also own and advance data analysis, automation, and digital workflow capabilities that improve the efficiency, quality, and scalability of R&D activities. This role is intended to develop a long-term CMP technical expert who progressively takes ownership of more complex technical problems, experimental platforms, and capability-development efforts. The position is onsite in Wilmington, Delaware, as indicated by the posting’s location tags and onsite designation.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related discipline; new Ph.D. graduates are eligible. Alternatively, a master’s degree in a related discipline with equivalent relevant research, laboratory, or industry experience.
Less than 5 years of relevant industry experience. Relevant graduate research, laboratory, cleanroom, process-development, or tool-development experience may be considered in place of industry experience.
Hands-on experience in at least one of the following: semiconductor, cleanroom, polishing, or process-tool work; or designing, building, modifying, commissioning, or troubleshooting fixtures, test equipment, prototypes, or experimental systems.
Willingness and demonstrated interest to learn tribology.
Ability and willingness to work routinely in laboratory and cleanroom environments, operate equipment, run polishing or process experiments, handle samples, troubleshoot tools, and develop ownership of assigned experimental platforms.
Experience with quantitative data analysis, DOE, root-cause analysis, and technical documentation.
Comfort learning across experimentation, characterization, process execution, mechanical design, data analysis, and tribology.
Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and technical communication skills with multidisciplinary teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience in both semiconductor, cleanroom, polishing, or process-tool work and experimental equipment or fixture development is strongly preferred.
Prior tribology or wear experience.
Direct experience in a semiconductor cleanroom or with semiconductor processes.
Experience owning a semiconductor process module or research tool, including qualification, troubleshooting, preventive care, vendor interaction, and transferring methods to other users or sites.
Tribometer design, manufacturing, modification, commissioning, or operation; friction and wear measurement.
Hands-on use or modification of characterization or metrology tools.
Hands-on experience taking a fixture or test-equipment concept from design through fabrication, assembly, commissioning, troubleshooting, and repeated experimental use.
Hands-on experience with SolidWorks, Siemens NX, AutoCAD, or similar CAD and engineering design platforms.
Experience developing scripts, tools, automation, or analysis workflows using MATLAB, Python, C/C++, LabVIEW, ImageJ, JMP/JSL, or similar tools.
Demonstrated technical innovation through new methods, fixtures, tools, patents, publications, process improvements, product development, or transfer to manufacturing or customer use.
Working knowledge of coding, data-analysis, or laboratory-automation tools such as MATLAB, Python, R, LabVIEW, JMP, JSL, C/C++, or ImageJ.

Responsibilities

Plan and execute CMP experiments, including wafer polishing, consumable installation and qualification, recipe development, process monitoring, sampling, and post-polish analysis.
Work in laboratory and cleanroom environments to operate, troubleshoot, maintain, and improve assigned research tools and experimental platforms.
Own experimental work end to end, from defining the research question and preparing materials through tool setup, safe execution, data-quality review, analysis, documentation, and recommendations.
Develop a practical understanding of metrology and sources of process variability.
Identify equipment or measurement limitations and design fixtures, test methods, tool modifications, or experimental approaches to address capability gaps.
Collaborate with technicians, applications engineers, equipment owners, vendors, and cleanroom personnel while remaining directly engaged in technical work.
Design experiments and DOE plans that isolate key variables while accounting for tool, material, schedule, and sample constraints.
Design and build test equipment, fixtures, prototypes, or modifications using mechanical design, CAD, machining, rapid prototyping, sensors, data acquisition, or laboratory automation as appropriate.
Commission experimental capabilities, establish safe operating procedures, define maintenance and calibration needs, and train additional users.
Systematically troubleshoot unexpected experimental behavior and distinguish measurement artifacts, equipment issues, material variability, and physical effects.
Translate promising research methods into reliable capabilities that can be sustained by the broader organization.
Develop and maintain data-analysis workflows, automation tools, and digital processes that improve research efficiency, data quality, and organizational knowledge.
Design and conduct tribological and mechanical tests.
Apply surface and materials characterization methods.
Create repeatable test methods, data-quality checks, and calibration practices.
Define and own technical problem statements supporting product development, process improvement, customer needs, and long-term CMP capability development.
Balance technical rigor with speed by identifying the minimum experiment, measurement, or test needed for a defensible decision and communicating limitations and uncertainty.
Communicate findings through technical reports, presentations, customer interactions, patents, publications, and decision-ready recommendations.
Share knowledge and contribute to a collaborative growth mindset.
Build internal and external collaborations while developing into a technical expert and capability owner.