Senior Equipment Engineer – Thin Films

Location: Hillsboro, Oregon

Join a Growing Semiconductor Manufacturing Team

Our client is a well-established semiconductor manufacturing organisation supporting the development and production of advanced semiconductor technologies used across a broad range of applications, including power electronics, consumer devices, industrial systems and communications infrastructure.

As part of continued investment and growth within their manufacturing operations, they are seeking an experienced Senior Equipment Engineer to join the Thin Films Engineering team at their Hillsboro fabrication facility.

This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on semiconductor equipment professional who enjoys solving complex technical challenges, improving equipment performance and working closely with manufacturing and process engineering teams to support world-class wafer fabrication operations.

The successful candidate will play a key role in maintaining and improving critical Thin Films equipment, driving uptime, supporting new equipment installations and helping develop the next generation of technical talent within the organisation.

The Opportunity

As a Senior Equipment Engineer, you will take ownership of equipment reliability, maintenance strategy and continuous improvement initiatives across a range of Thin Films manufacturing tools.

Working closely with production, process engineering and maintenance teams, you will help ensure equipment performance supports both operational efficiency and product quality objectives.

The position offers a blend of technical troubleshooting, project leadership, equipment optimisation and mentoring responsibilities, making it ideal for someone looking to further develop their impact within a high-volume semiconductor manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Equipment Performance & Reliability

• Drive equipment uptime and operational performance across Thin Films manufacturing equipment.

• Develop and execute preventative and corrective maintenance programmes.

• Troubleshoot complex equipment issues and implement long-term corrective actions.

• Create and maintain equipment specifications, procedures and maintenance documentation.

• Support spare parts planning and inventory requirements.

Equipment Installation & Continuous Improvement

• Lead new equipment installation, qualification and startup activities.

• Manage equipment relocation and upgrade projects.

• Identify and implement equipment improvement initiatives that enhance reliability, throughput and operational efficiency.

• Partner with manufacturing and process teams to prioritise maintenance activities and minimise production disruption.

Technical Leadership

• Develop and maintain technician certification and training programmes.

• Support technician hiring, onboarding and skills development initiatives.

• Provide technical guidance and advanced troubleshooting support to maintenance teams.

• Promote best practices in equipment engineering and operational excellence.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with production, process engineering and manufacturing teams to support fab performance objectives.

• Communicate equipment status, project updates and maintenance priorities through reports, presentations and shift pass-down activities.

• Support a culture of continuous improvement, teamwork and operational excellence.

About You

We're interested in speaking with experienced semiconductor equipment professionals who combine strong technical expertise with a proactive, problem-solving approach.

You are likely to have:

• 5+ years of experience supporting Thin Films or related semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

• A Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.

• Equivalent military, technical or vocational training combined with significant industry experience will also be considered.

• Strong troubleshooting capabilities, including board-level diagnostics and system-level problem solving.

• The ability to interpret electrical, mechanical and system schematics for advanced fault analysis.

• Experience working within high-volume semiconductor manufacturing environments.

• Strong communication skills and a collaborative approach to problem solving.

Preferred Equipment Experience

Experience supporting one or more of the following platforms would be highly advantageous:

• Applied Materials Centura BPSG

• Applied Materials Ultima HDP

• Applied Materials Tungsten Plug

• Applied Materials Endura

• Novellus Concept Two Sequel

• AG Associates RTP Systems (8100 / 8108)

• KLA-Tencor RS and Stress Metrology Platforms

Additional Experience

Candidates with exposure to the following methodologies will be viewed favourably:

• Statistical Process Control (SPC)

• Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

• Semiconductor equipment reliability engineering

• Preventative and predictive maintenance programmes

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This position offers the opportunity to work with advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment in a highly collaborative engineering environment. You'll have the chance to contribute directly to fab performance, lead meaningful improvement initiatives and develop your technical expertise within a growing organisation committed to operational excellence and continuous innovation.

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