Principal Process Development Engineer - Chemical Mechanical Planarization

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Principal Engineer - Process Development, CMP, NAND

Job / Role Summary

The Principal Engineer provides technical leadership for Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) process development supporting advanced 3D NAND and future technology nodes. This role leads process characterization, margin improvement, integration, and transfer readiness, while driving cross-functional alignment with global development, manufacturing, equipment, and supplier teams. The position resolves complex process, yield, defectivity, and manufacturability challenges, influences module and site-level technical direction, and advances robust CMP capability for high-volume production through disciplined experimentation, process control, and technology roadmap execution.

Main Responsibilities

·    Lead CMP process characterization and advanced process development for 3D NAND and future technology nodes.

·    Define and execute CMP process strategies that improve process margin, robustness, manufacturability, yield, and performance.

·    Lead complex experiments and data analysis to validate process windows, technology scaling readiness, and integration requirements.

·    Drive transfer of developed CMP processes to high-volume manufacturing at Fab10N and lead cross-functional actions supporting ramp readiness and continuous improvement.

·    Collaborate with Process Development, Process Integration, manufacturing, equipment, global development teams, and suppliers to align CMP solutions with NAND technology requirements.

·    Lead evaluations of consumables, equipment, hardware, and novel applications to close process capability gaps and enable future-node requirements.

·    Resolve complex process, yield, defectivity, and integration challenges using structured root-cause analysis and data-driven decision-making.

Other Responsibilities

·    Develop and deploy advanced process monitoring and control methodologies to support stable and repeatable manufacturing performance.

·    Drive process simplification and manufacturing optimization opportunities that improve cost, productivity, and cycle time.

·    Lead complex cross-functional projects, communicate technical status and risks, and influence execution outcomes across sites and stakeholders.

·    Mentor junior CMP engineers and strengthen technical rigor, documentation, knowledge sharing, and engineering standards.

·    Engage internal partners and external suppliers to advance innovation while complying with intellectual property and data protection requirements.

·    Contribute to technical documentation and intellectual property generation, including patents and technical papers, where applicable.

AI Responsibilities

·    Integrates AI-assisted tools and insights into daily work to improve efficiency, quality, or effectiveness, exercising sound judgment and complying with organizational standards and legal requirements.

·    Contributes to a culture of continuous improvement by identifying, testing, and sharing AI-enabled enhancements within one’s scope of work.

Candidate Profile

Minimum Qualifications / Experience

·    PhD with at least 5 years, Master’s degree with at least 7 years, or Bachelor’s degree with at least 10 years of relevant experience in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.

·    Demonstrated experience in CMP process development for advanced semiconductor or memory technologies, including leadership of complex technical projects and cross-functional delivery.

·    Hands-on experience with leading-edge CMP polishing equipment, such as EBARA WS or Applied Materials platforms.

Must-Have Technical Skills

·    Deep expertise in CMP process development, including dielectric and metal polishing mechanisms, slurry, pad, conditioning, equipment operation, and process optimization for advanced nodes.

·    Strong understanding of NAND or memory process integration and the structural impacts of film deposition and CMP interactions.

·    Proficiency in Design of Experiments (DOE), root-cause analysis, statistical and experimental data interpretation, and data analytics tools such as Y3.

·    Ability to develop process monitoring and control strategies and apply data-driven methods to improve yield, process margin, robustness, and manufacturability.

·    Experience evaluating CMP consumables, equipment, hardware, and supplier solutions for technology development and high-volume manufacturing readiness.

Must-Have Soft Skills

·    Technical leadership through influence, with the ability to drive alignment and execution across global, cross-site, and cross-functional teams.

·    Clear and structured technical communication, including documentation, stakeholder updates, and recommendations for high-impact decisions.

·    Mentoring and coaching capability to develop junior engineers and strengthen technical standards.

·    Disciplined prioritization and project execution across multiple concurrent technology development initiatives.

Highly Desirable / Preferred

·    Experience transferring advanced CMP processes from technology development to high-volume manufacturing.

·    Record of technical contributions through patents, technical papers, internal standards, or supplier-enabled innovation.

Embody Micron’s Core Values

·    People - Respect, develop and empower others

·    Innovation - Drive continuous improvement and breakthrough thinking

·    Tenacity - Show grit and determination

·    Collaboration - Build trust and foster teamwork

·    Customer Focus - Deliver excellence and value

·    Speed - Act with purpose and set the pace

About Micron Technology, Inc.

We are an industry leader in innovative memory and storage solutions transforming how the world uses information to enrich lifefor all. With a relentless focus on our customers, technology leadership, and manufacturing and operational excellence, Micron delivers a rich portfolio of high-performance DRAM, NAND, and NOR memory and storage products through our Micron® and Crucial® brands. Every day, the innovations that our people create fuel the data economy, enabling advances in artificial intelligence and 5G applications that unleash opportunities — from the data center to the intelligent edge and across the client and mobile user experience.

To learn more, please visit micron.com/careers

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

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