Job Title: R&D Engineer - Dry Process (Plasma Etch /Plasma Ablation/ PVD) Expert for Advanced Packaging applications
Location: Covington, GA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Description:We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Dry Process Engineer to join our R&D team. In this role you will lead development of dry processing capabilities across plasma etch, physical vapor deposition, and plasma-based ablation steps for fabricating advanced packaging interconnect structures. This role sits at the intersection of thin-film metallization and dielectric patterning, requiring you to steer equipment and process qualification, process recipe development, and integration handoffs with lithography, wet process, and plating teams. You will be a primary technical owner for vacuum-based unit processes in a hands-on, early-stage R&D environment where design of experiment planning capabilities and rigorous root-cause analysis both matter.
Key Responsibilities:- Develop and qualify plasma etch, PVD seed deposition, and plasma ablation processes for RDL build up and interconnect structures
- Help establish process flows that enable control of film uniformity, required via or trench step coverage and taper/sidewall profile, and layer-to-layer adhesion across the various plasma-based sub processes
- Establish recipes and tune plasma chemistry and tool parameters to optimize etch selectivity and minimize defects (micro-masking, residue, undercut)
- Perform root-cause and failure analysis on dry-process defects using SEM, XPS/AES, and electrical metrology
- Assess plasma-induced damage risk (charging, UV effects) on dielectrics and downstream reliability
- Collaborate with wet process and plating teams to ensure clean handoff of seed layers and trench/via structures
Required Skills- Hands-on experience with plasma etch process development (RIE, ICP, or barrel plasma) in a semiconductor or packaging environment
- Direct experience with PVD sputter deposition of seed layers (Ti, TiW, Ta, Cu) including thickness uniformity, step coverage, and adhesion control
- Experience with plasma-based dielectric ablation techniques/descum on organic or inorganic dielectrics (ABF, PBO, PSPI, polyimide)
- Working knowledge of plasma chemistry fundamentals (O₂, CF₄, SF₆, Ar, N₂ chemistries) and their etch selectivity tradeoffs
- Proficiency with vacuum system fundamentals: chamber pressure control, RF/ICP power coupling, gas flow control, end-point detection
- Metrology and characterization skills: SEM, profilometry, XPS or AES for surface composition, four-point probe for film resistivity
- DOE design and statistical analysis for process optimization (Minitab, JMP, or equivalent)
- Root-cause and failure analysis experience for etch defects (micro-masking, undercut, residue, via taper control)
Preferred Skills- Experience with plasma descum/etch-back for via clean prior to metallization (organic dielectric residue removal)
- Familiarity with PECVD or ALD for inorganic dielectric or barrier films (SiN, SiO₂, SiCN)
- Experience tuning trench taper angle, sidewall profile, and CD bias for fine-pitch micro structures (≤10 µm)
- Knowledge of dry plasma Ti seed removal as an alternative to wet etch (selectivity to underlying Cu RDL)
- Familiarity with plasma uniformity modeling, chamber matching, or tool-to-tool variation reduction
- Cross-process integration experience linking dry etch outcomes to downstream plating or CMP performance
- Experience with reliability impact assessment of plasma-induced damage (charging, UV exposure effects on dielectrics)
Education- Ph.D. in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or related field preferred
- M.S. with 3+ years of relevant industry or research experience considered
Benefits:- 401K 6% matching (NO vesting period)
- Healthcare 100% support (Health, Dental, Vision)
- Life, STD, LTD 100 % support
- Cell phone allowance
- PTO and self-development
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