Senior Process Engineer - Optical Fabrication

ASML•Wilton, CT

11d

About The Position

ASML Wilton is seeking a Senior Process Engineer to join the Optical Fabrication team with primary ownership of Generating & Polishing (GnP) processes. This role is responsible for process development, stabilization, and daily performance across grinding and polishing operations. The position requires a deep technical understanding of optical fabrication, strong analytical capability, and the ability to drive sustainable improvements in a fast-paced production environment. The engineer will directly support output, yield, and quality targets—including improving First Pass Yield (FPY) through stable, predictable, and well controlled process behavior. This role requires a proactive engineering mindset: anticipating issues before they impact production, driving structured 6P readiness, performing thorough RCA, and continuously evaluating new technologies and deterministic tools to strengthen long-term process control. This is not a reactive support role; the expectation is ownership, foresight, and continuous improvement. The Senior Process Engineer will operate as a technical leader within Optical Fabrication with end-to-end ownership of grinding and polishing processes. Responsibilities include defining and optimizing process parameters, ensuring removal rate stability, selecting consumables, and understanding machine behavior. The engineer will manage polishing performance, conditioning strategies, coolant control, and subsurface damage removal while ensuring consistent behavior across tools and shifts. The polishing scope includes control of pitch and pad behavior, slurry delivery, plate geometry, pressure and weight control, and other factors influencing removal rate, figure, roughness, and defectivity. The PE will lead the introduction and qualification of new pad materials, slurry chemistries, pitch recipes, and machine upgrades, and will convert interferometry, profilometry, and surface inspection data into actionable decisions. A key responsibility is establishing strong process control: defining process windows, capability targets, and long-term monitoring systems. The PE will use JMP or Minitab to identify variation, drift, and chronic stability risks, ensuring processes are robust, documented, and repeatable. This includes maintaining process specifications, work instructions, and standard work while driving alignment across production and support teams. The engineer will collaborate daily with production technicians, supervisors, metrology, quality, equipment engineering, and maintenance, balancing immediate production needs with structured long-term improvement projects. The Senior PE is expected to: • Build process stability that prevents rework and FPY loss • Detect and eliminate sources of variation impacting FPY and yield • Lead structured RCA using statistical and analytical methods • Ensure corrective actions are verified, embedded, and sustainable • Own full 6P readiness for process, material, or equipment changes Beyond daily support, the engineer is expected to proactively seek, evaluate, and integrate: • deterministic process control methods • advanced metrology and insitu monitoring tools • next generation pad, pitch, slurry, and consumable technologies • equipment or software capabilities that improve stability, predictability, and throughput

Requirements

BS, MS, or PhD in Mechanical, Optical, Materials, or related engineering field
Minimum 5 years of experience in optical fabrication, precision machining, grinding, or polishing
Experience in grinding mechanics, polishing processes, metrology interpretation, and process development
Demonstrated ability in structured problem solving, data analysis, RCA, and process improvement
Strong understanding of grinding and polishing mechanics and material removal behavior
Proficiency with interferometry, profilometry, and surface inspection tools
Experience using JMP, Minitab, or equivalent statistical software
Strong communication, cross functional collaboration, and leadership in a production environment
Ability to manage multiple priorities under time sensitive conditions
Demonstrated capability in 6P readiness, structured RCA, and verification driven corrective action
You must be work authorized in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship

Responsibilities

defining and optimizing process parameters
ensuring removal rate stability
selecting consumables
understanding machine behavior
manage polishing performance, conditioning strategies, coolant control, and subsurface damage removal
lead the introduction and qualification of new pad materials, slurry chemistries, pitch recipes, and machine upgrades
convert interferometry, profilometry, and surface inspection data into actionable decisions
establishing strong process control: defining process windows, capability targets, and long-term monitoring systems
use JMP or Minitab to identify variation, drift, and chronic stability risks
maintaining process specifications, work instructions, and standard work
Build process stability that prevents rework and FPY loss
Detect and eliminate sources of variation impacting FPY and yield
Lead structured RCA using statistical and analytical methods
Ensure corrective actions are verified, embedded, and sustainable
Own full 6P readiness for process, material, or equipment changes