Principal Equipment Engineer-Diffusion

TSMC • Camas, WA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

Join TSMC Washington and help power the future of technology. At TSMC, we don't just make semiconductors; we innovate to transform industries and enhance lives. As the world’s leading semiconductor foundry, we partner with top tech companies to drive advancements in industries such as healthcare, automotive, consumer electronics, and renewable energy. At TSMC Washington, you'll thrive where innovation meets precision manufacturing, and integrity guides our high standards and customer trust. Our visionary leaders collaborate with clients to achieve groundbreaking results, ensuring our leadership in the semiconductor sector. Explore career opportunities with TSMC Washington and join a company with a commitment to excellence and innovation.
Who We're Looking For:
TSMC, the global leader in semiconductor foundry technology, is seeking a visionary, highly accomplished, and strategically minded Principal Equipment Engineer to join our elite engineering team at TSMC WA. This is a critical leadership role within our dynamic, high-volume manufacturing environment, demanding exceptional technical depth, strategic foresight, and the ability to drive significant technological advancements.

As a Principal Equipment Engineer, you will serve as a subject matter expert and technical leader, responsible for optimizing the performance, reliability, and technological roadmap of advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, with a primary focus on KE Furnaces and Disco Back Grinders within the diffusion process area. This exempt position requires an unwavering commitment to operational excellence, including flexibility for demanding work schedules and immediate responsiveness via company-provided communication tools. We are actively seeking individuals who embody and champion TSMC's core values of Integrity, Customer Partnership, Innovation, and Commitment, and who possess a proven track record of technical leadership and mentorship.

Requirements

• Education: Master's or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related engineering discipline is highly preferred.
• Experience: A minimum of 8+ years of progressive experience in semiconductor equipment engineering, with a significant portion dedicated to diffusion or grinding processes, demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility and technical leadership.
• Deep Expertise: Recognized subject matter expert with extensive, hands-on experience in the design, operation, maintenance, and optimization of KE furnaces and/or DISCO 841 grinders, including an advanced understanding of associated process physics and chemistry.
• Advanced Analytical Skills: Master-level proficiency in Statistical Process Control (SPC), Design of Experiments (DOE), Six Sigma methodologies, and advanced data analytics tools for complex problem-solving and process optimization.
• Technical Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical projects, mentor engineering teams, and drive technical innovation within a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Strategic Vision: Proven capacity to develop and execute long-term strategic plans for equipment technology, reliability, and cost reduction.
• Communication & Influence: Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills, with a proven ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to executive leadership, cross-functional teams, and external partners.
• Problem-Solving Prowess: A track record of successfully resolving critical, multi-faceted technical challenges, often under pressure, through innovative and systemic approaches.
• Software & Systems Acumen: Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, engineering simulation software, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
• For non-native English speakers, a TOEIC score of 700 or higher is required.
• All applicants must possess legal authorization to work in the United States.
• To be eligible for employment at TSMC, candidates must successfully pass a background check and a drug screening.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Equipment Optimization: Architect and implement long-term strategies for equipment performance, reliability, and cost-of-ownership, leveraging advanced analytics, predictive modeling, and deep process understanding to achieve best-in-class operational metrics.
• Technical Leadership & Mentorship: Act as a leading technical authority, providing expert guidance, mentorship, and training to junior engineers and technical staff on complex equipment issues, advanced troubleshooting, and innovative engineering solutions.
• Advanced Problem Solving: Lead cross-functional teams in the diagnosis and resolution of highly complex, systemic equipment failures and performance bottlenecks, applying advanced statistical methods, root cause analysis, and experimental design.
• Innovation & Technology Roadmapping: Drive the evaluation, selection, and integration of cutting-edge equipment technologies and upgrades, collaborating with R&D and vendors to define future equipment roadmaps that align with TSMC's technological advancements and production goals.
• Process Integration & Yield Enhancement: Spearhead initiatives to optimize equipment interaction with manufacturing processes, driving significant improvements in yield, quality, and material utilization through sophisticated engineering interventions.
• Cost & Efficiency Leadership: Develop and execute comprehensive strategies for significant cost reduction in equipment ownership, maintenance, and spare parts, while enhancing overall manufacturing efficiency and throughput.
• Vendor & Stakeholder Management: Cultivate and manage strategic relationships with key equipment vendors, influencing product development and ensuring optimal support, service level agreements, and technology transfer.
• Risk Mitigation & Business Continuity: Proactively identify potential equipment-related risks to production, developing and implementing robust mitigation strategies and business continuity plans.

Benefits

• Employees and their families are offered access to comprehensive coverage, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, our wellbeing program, as well as basic life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
• Additionally, employees can enroll in our 401(k) plan with an employer match and participate in the employee stock purchase program.
• Employees receive 12 recognized holidays per year and accrue 120 hours of paid time off annually their first year.
• Onsite amenities include a fitness center, a game room, on-site physical therapist, and a subsidized café where meals cost as low as $6 a day!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree