Principal Process Engineer, Etch

Overview

In this role you drive innovation and robust production performance in advanced etch processes within KLA's SPTS division. You will lead cross-disciplinary teams to develop and qualify plasma etch technologies, while applying physics-based simulation to accelerate development. You’ll translate data-driven insights into design decisions and interface with customers to showcase capabilities. This is a senior, impact-focused position in a globally distributed organization that values technical excellence and collaboration.

Pay / Benefits

• Annual leave starting at 25 days
• Share scheme
• Contributory pension
• Cash health plan
• Cycle to work
• Global bonus plan

Responsibilities

• Lead development and qualification of advanced plasma process technologies
• Drive process optimization to meet customer specifications
• Develop and validate simulation models for complex engineering systems
• Perform CFD, plasma, thermal, electromagnetic, or multi-physics modelling
• Analyse simulation results and correlate with experimental data
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) for reliability issues
• Mentor engineers and define best practices
• Interface with customers for demos, qualifications, and issue resolution
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including hardware, software, NPI and manufacturing
• Liaise with field teams to ensure successful transfer of processes to field
• Establish process control strategies and SPC framework
• Lead in key PLC etch projects
• Deliver on etch roadmap targets
• Research published work relevant to KLA's process development
• Write invention disclosures/patent applications
• Write technical papers for publication at conferences, seminars etc.
• Communicate results and ideas to management, co-workers, and other teams across the business

Key requirements

• Experience with semiconductor equipment hardware and process interactions
• Experience with simulation and modelling tools (COMSOL, ANSYS, MATLAB/Simulink, OpenFOAM, Python)
• Experience with semiconductor processes, plasma modelling, CFD, or digital twins (advantage)
• Strong knowledge and utilitisation of DOE and statistical analysis
• Familiarity in failure analysis and defect characterization
• Data-driven mindset with strong analytical skills
• Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving capability
• Excellent communication across technical and executive audiences
• Results driven with strong ownership and accountability
• Hands-on experience on plasma etch equipment and metrology (SEM)
• Endpoint methods/OES experience
• Experience in DOE, 8D, process optimization
• Process simulation experience in COMSOL, ANSYS, MATLAB/Simulink, OpenFOAM, or Python (advantage)

• Excellent communication across technical and executive audiences
• Problem-solving and strategic thinking
• Ownership and accountability
• Plasma etch process development
• DOE and statistical analysis
• CFD and multi-physics modelling

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