R&D Process Engineering Technician – Wafer Fab

Keysight Technologies, Inc.•Santa Rosa, CA

14h•Onsite

About The Position

Keysight is at the forefront of technology innovation, delivering breakthroughs and trusted insights in electronic design, simulation, prototyping, test, manufacturing, and optimization. Our ~15,000 employees create world-class solutions in communications, 5G, automotive, energy, quantum, aerospace, defense, and semiconductor markets for customers in over 100 countries. Learn more about what we do. Our award-winning culture embraces a bold vision of where technology can take us and a passion for tackling challenging problems with industry-first solutions. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers. The High Frequency Technology Center (HFTC) is seeking an R&D Process Engineering Technician to develop, maintain and optimize manufacturing processes to fabricate passive interposer substrates for Keysight’s Heterogeneous Integration technology. This position is onsite at Keysight Headquarters in Santa Rosa, CA. Live in beautiful Sonoma County amongst vineyards, redwood forests, rivers, lakes and coastline while working on state-of-the-art advanced packaging technologies. The Process Technician will assist with process development and process control to meet quality and production metrics. Responsibilities include a combination of R&D and manufacturing in partnership with Design, Integration, Test, Operations, Maintenance, Product and Failure Analysis teams. The Process Technician works closely with the Process Engineer to deliver on yield, cycle time, throughput, and quality targets for their process. This role involves technical depth in semiconductor processing, sound judgement to make some decisions autonomously, strong hands-on aptitude, as well as effective communication and teamwork to meet department-level objectives. Overview of Role Process Engineering Technicians at HFTC are responsible for process development and sustaining of custom, cutting-edge, micro and nano-fabrication technologies. Strong technical contribution and high levels of autonomy are expected.

Requirements

High school graduate with strong aptitude in science and math. Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in STEM field is highly preferred
Relevant experience in a cleanroom or high-tech production floor
Hands-on experience with advanced technologies and specific skills in wet chemical processes including solvent cleans, acid/base etches, and safe chemical‑handling practices
Strong background in wafer cleaning workflows, defect mechanisms, contamination control, and surface condition behavior across chemical and mechanical processes
Fluent using computers, Microsoft Office, and other common software tools
Candidates must have strong problem-solving and analytical skills as well as excellent interpersonal and communication skills for cross-functional interactions
Strong accountability, self-initiative and proactive attitude are required for success.
Candidates must be local or willing to relocate to Santa Rosa, CA
This position requires access to certain goods, software, technology, or technical data subject to U.S. export control laws and regulations. Under these laws and regulations, U.S. persons (which includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees) working for Keysight can access export-controlled items without authorization from the U.S. government. For any individual who is not a U.S. person, Keysight may need authorization from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Commerce, or other appropriate federal agency before the individual can access export-controlled items. Employment in this position for non-U.S. persons is contingent on Keysight’s ability to obtain any required government authorizations.

Nice To Haves

Experience with statistical process control (SPC) and design of experiments (DOE) is advantageous

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain wet chemical processes including solvent cleans, acid/base etches, electroplating, and wafer planarization
Adhere to safe chemical‑handling practices
Conduct engineering experiments and contribute to designing the experiments
Review metrology results (thickness, uniformity, surface defects), determine course of action and guide production staff
Support chemical sequences, etch‑rate characterization, surface conditioning, and tool qualification
Understand and interpret engineering data and experimental results
Understand process flow, verify recipes, and transact jobs in MES
Communicate clearly with other shifts regarding tool and process status
Train operators and engineers and collaborate cross‑functionally (process, equipment, integration, test, etc.)
Generate, track, and report technical data to engineering and management
Leverage Python, Excel macros, and SQL for automated data review and monitoring
Partner with Engineering and Operations to implement robust process control and support production processes; diagnose and resolve process problems with urgency
Supporting capital equipment acquisition projects that include tool evaluation, characterization, process development, and qualification