Staff Process Engineer

Precision Neuroscience•Addison, TX

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Precision Neuroscience is seeking a Staff Process Engineer to lead front-end microfabrication process development for new products and R&D programs at its Addison, Texas facility. The role bridges R&D and production, taking device designs and process concepts from early builds through qualification and production release, and owning the front-end flow needed to make them manufacturable. The engineer will bring deep expertise in at least one front-end module—photolithography, thin-film deposition, or etch—and integration judgment across the broader process flow. The role combines hands-on process development and technical leadership. The engineer will design experiments, run tools, establish process windows, develop process and equipment qualifications, and document processes for transfer to the sustaining team. They will also mentor engineers and technicians, review designs for manufacturability, and advise R&D on buildability and timelines. The position is based in Addison, Texas; remote workers and applicants not currently based in the United States and legally authorized to work there cannot be considered.

Requirements

BS in Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, or a related technical field and 5–10 years of relevant experience; or MS in a related field and 3–8 years; or PhD in a related technical field and 1–5 years.
Deep, hands-on expertise in at least one front-end microfabrication module, with working knowledge of the rest of the flow.
Expertise in at least one of photolithography (including resist processing, exposure, CD and overlay control, lift-off, and thick and thin resists); thin-film deposition (PECVD, HDPCVD, and PVD, including sputter and e-beam); or etch (ICP RIE, DRIE, and wet chemistry).
Track record taking processes from development through qualification and production release, such as through NPI, technology transfer, or pilot-to-production.
Strong experimental design and data analysis skills, including DOE, SPC, process capability (Cpk), and structured root-cause methods.
Experience with film and process characterization, including thickness, refractive index, stress, CD, etch rate, profilometry, and SEM.
Experience with process and equipment qualification (SAT, IQ/OQ/PQ), including writing protocols and reports.
Proficiency in 2D layout and photolithography mask design using L-Edit or KLayout, including design rule development.
Demonstrated technical leadership, including mentoring engineers and technicians, leading a workstream, and influencing without direct authority.
Clear written and verbal communication skills, including technical reporting and presenting data to cross-functional and leadership audiences.
Currently based in the United States and legally authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Experience in Class II or Class III medical device manufacturing under FDA QSR (21 CFR Part 820 / QMSR) or ISO 13485, including design transfer, process validation, and change control.
Process integration experience with MEMS, thin-film, or flexible polymer-based devices.
Experience with neural interfaces or other biomedical microdevices.
Experience with polymer substrates and dielectric or ceramic barrier stacks, including low-thermal-budget processing.
Experience specifying and bringing up new front-end equipment, from purchase specification through SAT and release.
Experience with process FMEA and control plans.
Data-analysis fluency with JMP, Minitab, Python, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Lead front-end process development for new products and R&D programs, from first-article builds through qualification and production release.
Own the process flow for a front-end module and contribute to integrated flows across photolithography, thin-film deposition, and etch.
Set process windows, understand underlying mechanisms, and serve as the escalation point for module issues in development or production.
Partner with R&D and device design on device architectures and material stacks; provide early design-for-manufacturability feedback on layouts, design rules, and stack choices.
Drive process integration across modules, considering layer interactions, adhesion, film stress, thermal budget, and compatibility with polymer, dielectric, and ceramic barrier stacks.
Design and run DOEs and characterization plans, using available tool time and material efficiently.
Use process and film characterization data—including thickness, refractive index, stress, critical dimension, etch rate and profile, FTIR, SEM, and defect inspection—to understand and improve processes.
Own process and equipment qualification for new processes and tools, including SAT, IQ/OQ/PQ protocols, acceptance criteria, capability studies, and reports suitable for the QMS for Class III implant manufacturing.
Lead development-to-production handoff, including process FMEA, control plans, SPC setup, SOPs, work instructions, operator and technician training, and transfer to the sustaining team.
Evaluate, specify, and bring up new front-end equipment and materials with vendors; own technical vendor relationships for the assigned module.
Plan and track the front-end portion of NPI builds with program management, including schedules, risks, and material plans, and communicate status and tradeoffs.
Mentor process engineers and technicians; review experiment plans, data, and documentation, and support their development.