CMP Process Development Engineer

ChEmpower Corporation is a venture-backed semiconductor materials startup developing abrasive-free technology for chemical mechanical planarization of advanced semiconductor devices. The CMP Process Development Engineer will develop and optimize abrasive-free copper planarization processes, characterize consumables, conduct DOE experiments, integrate customer requirements, support OEM collaboration, and contribute to product development, intellectual property, marketing, and customer-facing activities.

Responsibilities:

• Develop an abrasive free planarization process for copper films-based applications
• Characterizing the consumables such as polish pads and solutions, conducting controlled DOE experiments (design of experiments) and optimizing the design variables to develop a process for commercial polish tools such as the Applied and Ebara
• Integrate customer requirements into the ChEmpower development initiative, that in collaboration with OEM partners will formulate a best-known solution for copper CMP
• Clearly articulate the customer requirements and provide inputs into the definition of the product resulting in a process that constitutes the ChEmpower solution to an end customer application
• Develop novel and exciting ideas for filing patents, developing trade secrets, and thus strengthening the IP position of ChEmpower
• Gathering new market intelligence with the changing trends and challenges in the marketplace
• Building strong relationships with sales partners and customers alike
• Serve the marketing function at the early stages of the product development, as well as the sales function upon product launch
• Travel to Application labs that the company will have access to, such would be in the US

Requirements:

• PhD degree with 3+ years research experience (or Master's degree with 5-8 years' experience) in chemical engineering, chemistry or material science and engineering
• Deep knowledge of metal CMP process especially copper, understanding of the different slurry chemistries and pads used and the metrology required for measurements on patterned (device) wafers. Hands on experience working with commercial 300mm polishers, either Applied or Ebara, and associated metrology is a must
• Interest and passion to work in a start-up environment
• Strong analytical skills
• Team player who enjoys working in a cross functional team. Collaborative work style is a must. Willing to wear multiple hats in a start-up environment
• High integrity and ethical standards. Must maintain trust, mutual respect and ability to work in a diverse workplace
• Demonstrate leadership with ownership of tasks
• Results oriented
• Innovative thinking with a creative mindset
• Sense of urgency and commitment to delivering on time. Quickly transition to changing priorities
• Maintain transparency and open communications all the time
• Excellent verbal and written communications
• Strong presentation skills
• Willing to travel (30-40% time, as needed) for work
• Be flexible and be able to respond to urgent matters from time to time