Your Role:The Senior Equipment Technician works closely with Equipment Engineers, Process Engineers, Operations, Facilities, and external equipment vendors in a semiconductor wafer fabrication cleanroom environment. This position is responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, repairing, upgrading, and optimizing semiconductor process equipment to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation.
The Senior Equipment Technician provides technical expertise for ALD, PVD, vacuum, gas delivery, robotic, thermal, and control systems while supporting equipment uptime, process stability, and continuous improvement initiatives. This role requires strong hands-on troubleshooting skills, disciplined documentation practices, and the ability to execute maintenance activities with minimal supervision.
Location: onsite position in San Jose, CA (Wednesday to Saturday -10 hour day shift)
Job Responsibilities:Equipment Maintenance and Reliability
- Perform preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance on semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
- Troubleshoot and repair mechanical, electrical, vacuum, gas delivery, robotic, thermal, and control system issues.
- Perform maintenance, upgrades, rebuilds, and component replacements on ALD and PVD equipment.
- Respond to equipment downtime events and apply effective diagnostic techniques to restore equipment operation in a timely manner.
- Conduct equipment inspections and identify opportunities to improve reliability, performance, and maintainability.
- Support equipment installations, qualifications, relocations, decommissions, and upgrade projects.
Continuous Improvement
- Participate in cross-functional teams focused on equipment performance, uptime improvement, cost reduction, and operational excellence.
- Analyze equipment failures and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
- Monitor equipment performance metrics and recommend improvements to increase availability and process stability.
- Assist in developing and improving preventive maintenance procedures, standard work practices, and maintenance schedules.
- Support implementation of continuous improvement initiatives and best practices throughout the fab.
Documentation and Communication
- Maintain accurate maintenance records, work orders, calibration records, equipment history, spare parts usage, and follow-up actions.
- Provide detailed troubleshooting reports and written shift pass-downs to ensure technical continuity between shifts.
- Update maintenance documentation, operating procedures, and equipment logs as required.
- Utilize computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) and other business systems to document activities and equipment status.
Safety and Compliance
- Perform Safety Protocol checks before conducting maintenance or service activities.
- Follow all environmental, health, and safety (EHS) requirements and cleanroom procedures.
- Safely work with hazardous chemicals, gases, high voltage systems, vacuum equipment, and pressurized systems.
- Ensure all work complies with company policies, industry regulations, and established operating procedures.
- Participate as an active member of the Emergency Response Team (ERT).
- Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment.
Technical Knowledge and Skills:
- Strong knowledge of vacuum systems, pumps, gas delivery systems, robotics, thermal systems, process equipment controls, and optical equipment.
- Experience troubleshooting semiconductor manufacturing equipment using schematics, manuals, drawings, and diagnostic tools.
- Working knowledge of electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, vacuum, and automation systems.
- Familiarity with PLCs, motion control systems, and industrial networking is preferred.
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, electrical schematics, and technical documentation.
- Strong computer skills and proficiency with maintenance tracking systems and Microsoft Office applications.
- Excellent troubleshooting, analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
Team Support
- Collaborate closely with Equipment Engineers, Process Engineers, Operations personnel, Facilities, and other stakeholders.
- Provide technical guidance and knowledge sharing to technicians and equipment users as needed.
- Support equipment vendors and contractors during maintenance, repair, and installation activities.
- Ensure contractor work meets company safety and quality requirements.
- Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
- This position will be required to support either Saturday or Sunday 10hr Day shift
Physical Attributes:
- Ability to wear a full-face respirator and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and successfully pass required medical evaluations.
- Ability to obtain and maintain annual respirator certification.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to work in confined spaces and elevated locations when required.
- Ability to stand, walk, bend, crouch, climb, reach, and perform repetitive movements throughout an 8-12-hour shift.
- Ability to work within a semiconductor cleanroom environment while wearing required cleanroom garments and personal protective equipment.
- Comply with all company safety, environmental, and security requirements.
Who You Are: Minimum Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in Electronics, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering, or a very similar technical discipline; or equivalent military or technical training
Or
- High school diploma or GED along with 5+ years of semiconductor equipment maintenance and troubleshooting experience in a wafer fabrication environment.
Preferred Qualifications:- Experience supporting ALD, PVD, CVD, vacuum, or similar semiconductor process equipment.
- Experience supporting ALD and PVD platforms.
- Experience with CMMS systems such as eMaint or equivalent.
- Experience participating in equipment improvement or reliability projects.
- Knowledge of root cause analysis methodologies and continuous improvement techniques.
Base Pay Range for this position - $
41.00-$66.00 per hour
The offer range represents the anticipated low and high end of the base pay compensation for this position. The actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, level of experience, education, skills, and other job-related factors. Position may be eligible for sales or performance-based bonuses. Benefits offered by the Company include health insurance, paid time off (PTO), retirement contributions, and other perquisites. For more information click here.
