Staff Equipment Engineer, CMP

About STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor company committed to driving innovation that positively impacts people, businesses, and society. Operating worldwide with more than 49,000 employees from over 122 nationalities across 40 countries, ST is a vibrant community of creators focused on technological advancement. We foster collaboration, respect, and a passion for disrupting the norm and contributing to a smarter, greener, and sustainable future.

Role Overview

The Staff Equipment Engineer for Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) is responsible for ensuring the equipment used in CMP processes operates at peak performance, reliability, and stability. This role involves supporting daily fabrication operations, troubleshooting equipment issues, conducting preventive maintenance, managing installation and commissioning of new tools, and driving continuous improvement efforts to sustain product quality and efficient industrialization.

Key Responsibilities

• Continuously monitor the performance of CMP equipment, analyze collected data to detect abnormalities, and determine root causes alongside corrective measures.
• Lead quick and effective troubleshooting and isolation of faults to reduce downtime and uphold production stability.
• Carry out regular inspections, preventive, and corrective maintenance to ensure tool availability and stability.
• Assist defect and excursion investigations, escalate critical issues, and coordinate material reviews when necessary.
• Collaborate closely with process, quality, production, facilities, and supplier teams to enhance equipment performance and production line reliability.
• Support the evaluation, installation, qualification, and industrialization of new CMP equipment to guarantee proper deployment and operation.
• Work with facilities engineering and suppliers during equipment hook-up, installation, and commissioning phases.
• Drive improvements to equipment capability, including hardware upgrades and initiatives to increase overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Establish and maintain equipment monitoring systems, automation solutions, and defect databases to support operational excellence.
• Create and update standard operating procedures (SOPs), preventive maintenance protocols, operation guidelines, and fault resolution documentation.
• Design and conduct training programs for manufacturing operators to boost competency in equipment handling and line operations.
• Manage spare parts and consumable inventories by forecasting needs and planning stock levels to ensure availability within budget constraints.
• Ensure compliance of all equipment activities with quality management systems, ISO standards, safety rules, and cleanroom protocols.
• Participate actively in continuous improvement, technology transfer, and industrialization projects to sustain operational excellence.
• Support advanced monitoring and analytics efforts, including adopting data-driven problem-solving and automation-based process improvements.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Automation, Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or related STEM disciplines.
• Proven expertise in CMP equipment engineering is highly desirable, with preference for experience on tools such as AMAT Mirra, Ebara Flex, Momentum, HWATSING, or other comparable CMP platforms.
• In-depth knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing fundamentals, CMP process principles, and equipment maintenance practices.
• Ability to interpret electrical schematics, pneumatic diagrams, and mechanical drawings efficiently.
• Familiarity with CMP process flows and capacity to fine-tune equipment parameters per process demands.
• Skill in analyzing wafer surface defects like scratches and residues and assessing material removal rate performance.
• Competence in operating CMP equipment control interfaces and software, including practical experience maintaining robotic automation components.
• Strong aptitude for data analysis; familiarity with data analysis tools is advantageous.
• Hands-on mindset combined with readiness to work in a cleanroom environment.
• Excellent communication capabilities along with strong coordination and team collaboration skills.
• Systematic, logical thinking with a structured approach to problem-solving.
• Willingness and flexibility to work shifts to support continuous 24/7 production schedules.

Additional Information

STMicroelectronics is recognized as a Global Top Employer for 2026, distinguished for its ethical standards, values, organizational culture, and business performance. The company embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion, striving to build a workforce reflective of global communities without tolerance for discrimination. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every listed criterion, as ST values varied perspectives and offers opportunities for professional growth.