Senior Process Engineer - Defectivity
About the job
- A Master's degree or PhD in Materials Science, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Semiconductor Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- At least 8 years of semiconductor industry experience in process engineering, defectivity engineering, yield engineering, integration engineering, or a related field.
- Strong experience supporting semiconductor manufacturing, front-end wafer processing equipment, or advanced process technologies.
- Deep understanding of defect generation mechanisms within semiconductor manufacturing environments.
- Expertise in contamination control, particle reduction, and defect prevention methodologies.
- Proficiency in design of experiments (DOE) and statistical data analysis.
- Experience utilizing defect inspection, metrology, characterization, and failure analysis techniques.
- Ability to translate process and defect data into actionable root-cause conclusions and sustainable engineering solutions.
- Lead investigations into defectivity issues affecting front-end wafer processing equipment and manufacturing processes.
- Identify and resolve equipment-induced, process-induced, handling-induced, and material-induced defect mechanisms.
- Analyze defect signatures using defect maps, spatial distributions, wafer trends, process data, and manufacturing performance metrics.
- Apply structured problem-solving methodologies including design of experiments, statistical analysis, failure analysis, and root-cause investigation techniques.
- Drive corrective and preventive actions and validate long-term effectiveness through data-driven verification.
- Investigate contamination, particle generation, material interactions, mechanical sources, environmental influences, and wafer handling-related defects.
- Develop a deep understanding of defect generation mechanisms throughout wafer movement, process execution, metrology, inspection, and automation systems.
- Partner with engineering teams to improve defect performance, process robustness, equipment reliability, and manufacturability.
- Utilize advanced defect characterization and analytical techniques to determine defect origin, composition, transport mechanisms, and generation pathways.
- Establish defectivity reduction roadmaps and support technology development, qualification, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Collaborate with process, hardware, software, manufacturing, supplier quality, and customer-facing teams to solve complex technical challenges.
- Present technical findings and recommendations to senior stakeholders and support knowledge sharing across engineering organizations.
- Experience working with semiconductor equipment manufacturers or leading semiconductor fabrication facilities.
- Experience supporting wafer handling systems, process equipment, metrology, inspection, automation, or integrated manufacturing platforms.
- Knowledge of advanced logic, DRAM, NAND, or emerging semiconductor device technologies.
- Experience in equipment qualification, process qualification, supplier quality, or manufacturing readiness programs.
- Familiarity with machine learning, advanced analytics, or artificial intelligence-enabled approaches for defectivity analysis.
- Experience mentoring engineers and leading complex cross-functional technical initiatives.
- Demonstrated success in delivering measurable defectivity reduction and yield improvement outcomes.
About the company
ASM International designs and supplies equipment and technologies for semiconductor fabrication, focusing on thin-film deposition processes such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD). Its products are used in making microchips by depositing ultra-thin material layers with precise control at the atomic level, enabling smaller and more powerful devices. The company built a global footprint through operations in the Netherlands, the US, Hong Kong, and Japan, and separated ASML Lithography (a joint venture with Philips) to focus on deposition while ASML develops photolithography systems. In recent years, ASM has sharpened its strategy around ALD, a process that creates uniformly thin layers one atomic layer at a time, allowing continued scaling of semiconductor devices. The goal is to be a core supplier of deposition technology and tools that enable chip manufacturers to produce smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient semiconductors.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Almere, Netherlands
Founded
1968
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 2026 revenue reached €1.0 billion, up 24% year over year.
- Management guided Q3 2026 revenue to €1.1 billion and H2 above H1 by 20%.
- 2027 revenue should exceed €4.6 billion, driven by AI infrastructure spending.
What critics are saying
- China mature-logic demand depends on export-control distortions, not durable secular growth.
- Local competitors in China already pressure pricing and threaten share in 2026.
- Applied Materials and NAURA can displace ASM if customers standardize alternative deposition stacks.
What makes ASM International unique
- ASM owns more than 55% of ALD market, with record Q2 2026 ALD sales.
- Its 2nm and 1.4nm wins embed ASM in leading-edge logic ramps.
- Spares and services grew 34% in Q2 2026, creating recurring revenue.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Flexible Work Hours
Remote Work Options
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Wellness Program
Company News
Advanced packaging shifts toward system integration as AI renews semiconductor talent appeal. , Singapore Sep 29, 2026, 11:59 0 Credit: Michael Lee At Singapore's Innovate Together 2026 conference on September 25, executives and researchers from A*STAR's Institute of Microelectronics (IME), KLA, ASM International, the National University of Singapore (NUS), the SHINE Centre, and ASMPT discussed how... Picks for you
The global semiconductor market reached record sales of $403.3 billion in the second quarter of 2026, rising 35.1% sequentially, driven by artificial intelligence and advanced computing demand. June sales climbed 123.6% year-over-year to $134.5 billion. Four chip stocks appear well-positioned to benefit from the AI boom. Analog Devices is experiencing broad-based recovery with AI-related data centre activity expanding across optical and power applications. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company maintained 73% market share, supported by robust AI demand. Semtech is benefiting from rising AI data centre networking demand as 800G remains active. ASM International holds a market share exceeding 55% in ALD technology, with management expecting second-half revenues to rise more than 20%. All four companies show strong growth trajectories, with consensus estimates suggesting revenue increases of 34% to 41% and earnings growth of 55% to 104% for 2026.
ASM International NV reported record Q2 2026 revenue of EUR1 billion, marking a 24% year-on-year increase at constant currency and exceeding guidance of EUR980 million. The semiconductor equipment manufacturer achieved a gross margin of 51.9% and an adjusted operating margin of 33%. Equipment sales grew 22% year-on-year at constant currency, driven by record atomic layer deposition (ALD) sales. Spares and services revenue surged 34% year-on-year at constant currency. The company generated record free cash flow of EUR355 million, supported by strong profitability and improved working capital management. Cash position stood at EUR1.2 billion at quarter end. ASM projects Q3 revenue of EUR1.1 billion and expects second-half revenue to exceed first-half results by over 20%. The company now anticipates 2026 revenue will surpass EUR4 billion, above its previous guidance range.
ASM International forecast third-quarter revenue of about €1.1 billion ($1.25 billion) at constant exchange rates, plus or minus 5%, exceeding analysts' average estimate of €994.5 million. The Dutch semiconductor equipment maker cited strong demand from customers investing in artificial intelligence infrastructure. AI-related spending has helped offset weakness in automotive, PC and memory markets. Chief Executive Hichem M'Saad said the demand environment remained highly favourable in the second quarter, driven by sustained investment in AI infrastructure to support rapidly expanding compute workloads. Europe's second-largest semiconductor equipment maker reported second-quarter revenue of €1 billion, above analysts' expectations of €977.7 million.
ASM International has named telecom executive Chris Figee as its incoming Chief Financial Officer, subject to shareholder approval at an extraordinary general meeting in 2027. The appointment comes as the semiconductor equipment maker's shares trade at €964.4, close to analyst fair value estimates of around €1,026. The stock has delivered strong returns, with year-to-date gains of 74.14% and five-year total shareholder returns of 250.72%. Analysts attribute the company's valuation to expanding demand for advanced logic nodes driven by AI and high-performance computing requirements. However, risks remain if China-related restrictions tighten or key customers delay equipment spending. The shares recently declined 1.15% in one day and 0.76% over seven days.