Thin Films Engineer

3D Glass Solutions, Inc-•Albuquerque, NM

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Thin Films Engineer develops, sustains, and improves deposition processes and owns one or more PVD and/or CVD processes. Working daily with equipment engineering, the engineer improves process recipes, tool performance, and yield, while driving continuous improvement. The role supports new product development and qualification of new processes from development through high-volume manufacturing. It reports to the Thin Films Engineering Manager and is based on site in the fab in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The position requires U.S. citizenship and at least five years of experience. The role owns deposition processes for dielectric, metal, and barrier/liner films on PVD or PECVD platforms. It includes recipe optimization, designed experiments and statistical analysis, high-volume production support, yield ownership, root-cause investigations, tool and process qualification, technology transfer, cost reduction, process documentation, and collaboration with suppliers and cross-functional teams. The position splits time between the cleanroom and office. Cleanroom work requires full gowning for extended periods. The role also involves standing and walking for several hours at a time, lifting up to 25 pounds, and following strict safety and chemical-handling procedures near hazardous gases, chemicals, and high-voltage equipment. Reasonable accommodations are available for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or Chemistry.
Hands-on process experience with PVD and/or PECVD in a wafer fab or advanced R&D cleanroom.
Working knowledge of vacuum systems, plasma physics, gas-phase and surface chemistry, and film growth mechanisms.
Strong statistical analysis skills, including SPC, DOE, hypothesis testing, and regression.
Proven structured problem-solving experience, such as 8D or 5 Whys.
Ability to clearly communicate technical findings to engineers and management.
Must be a U.S. citizen.
At least 5 years of experience.

Nice To Haves

Background in new product introduction (NPI) or technology ramp to high volume.
Machine learning or advanced analytics applied to manufacturing data.
Hands-on experience analyzing large manufacturing datasets with JMP, SQL, Python, or similar tools.
Background in metallization and interconnect (barrier/seed, Cu, Co, Ru), back-end-of-line processes, or integration.

Responsibilities

Own deposition processes for dielectric, metal, and barrier/liner films, such as SiN, Ti, TaN, TiW, and Cu seed, on PVD or PECVD platforms.
Develop and optimize recipes for thickness, uniformity, stress, refractive index, step coverage, resistivity, composition, and defectivity.
Run designed experiments and use statistical methods to characterize process windows and establish robust specifications.
Sustain high-volume production by monitoring SPC charts, responding to out-of-control events, dispositioning material, and driving corrective actions.
Lead root-cause investigations into yield, reliability, and defect excursions using 8D, FMEA, and fishbone methods.
Qualify new tools, chambers, chemistries, targets, and precursors, including chamber matching and fleet transfers.
Partner with equipment engineering on preventive maintenance, chamber seasoning, and uptime improvement.
Support technology transfer of new nodes and device structures from R&D into manufacturing.
Drive cost reduction through consumable-life extension, throughput gains, and precursor or gas usage optimization.
Write and maintain process specifications, control plans, OCAPs, and change-control documentation.
Work with suppliers on hardware, materials, and process issues; present results to cross-functional teams and management.
Own yield for assigned products or technologies and track line, die, and final test yield against targets.
Run split lots and designed experiments to verify fixes and quantify yield gains.