Sr Principal Semiconductor Electroplating Process Engineer

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE TYPE: SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time Description At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is seeking an experienced and motivated Senior Principal Microelectronics Semiconductor Electroplating Process Engineer for our Advanced Packaging Technology facility in Apopka, Florida.

For more than 70 years, Northrop Grummans Microelectronics Center has pushed the boundaries in this ever-evolving field of microelectronics. Our two U.S.-based government-trusted foundries and state-of-the-art packaging facilities set the standard, designing and delivering millions of defense and commercial microelectronics each year. From innovative design to precise fabrication, our mission-tailored solutions provide unparalleled performance, ensuring our technology meets the most demanding challenges.

The Senior Principal Microelectronic Semiconductor Electroplating Process Engineer will provide senior fabrication support and technical direction for a wide range of electroplating processes and tools for semiconductor wafers. The selected candidate will own the responsibility for process technology development and production deployment for multiple plated metal interconnect processes, including underbump metallurgy, copper pillars, and solder bumps fabricated across multiple equipment systems.

They will collaborate closely with other process owners for back-end post-processing to ensure satisfactory integration of plating processes into overall product flows for both production parts, as well as new process and product development activities.

The chosen candidate must have excellent verbal and written communication skills; be able to multi-task in a fast-paced, dynamic, and high-visibility environment; and work well as part of a team.

Position will demand large amounts of time working in a cleanroom environment. Some lifting and standing will be required.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the tasks outlined below: Leadership and collaboration :

• Primary electroplating team leader responsible for all wafer electroplating manufacturing processes, development, and associated metrology. Role will require experience with production deployment across a broad range of tool sets, processes, and wafer sizes.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams in Process Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Integration, and R&D to ensure process stability, improve yield, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Mentor and train junior engineers and technicians on shift to support quality and delivery metrics for operations.
• Effectively communicate with the team with a strong attention to detail.

Process/ Equipment Management :

• Oversee and develop robust, manufacturable process recipes for Foundry customers in metals electroplating (e.g., copper, nickel, SnAg, Au) and associated metrology and analysis using designs of experiments (DOEs) and industry standard methods.
• Identify, resolve issues, and improve these plating processes to provide maximum quality and process availability.
• Ensure all plating equipment is properly qualified and calibrated.

Process Development:

• Define and implement electroplating process improvements for new technology insertion to improve process robustness and achieve technology milestones for yield, reliability, and cost.
• Develop new technologies across the portfolio of emerging technologies in semiconductor wafer-level interconnect manufacturing on multiple wafer sizes.

Quality Control :

• Execute strategic projects for improvement of sustaining operations through monitoring statistical process control (SPC) charts and disposition of out of spec material.
• Support process control, planning, safety, and quality organizations to ensure the equipment meets cost, quality, safety, and reliability metrics.
• Use Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to assess and mitigate risk for critical processes, process modules, and tools.

Problem-Solving :

• Drive process improvements for volume manufacturing using statistical tools, DOE techniques, data driven decision making and systematic problem-solving skills.
• Lead Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) task forces to troubleshoot and develop solutions that prevent recurrence for excursion incidents using 8D problem solving methodologies.

Safety Compliance :

• Adhere to all safety regulations and protocols to maintain a safe working environment.

Vendor Management :

• Collaborate and drive continuous improvement projects with both equipment vendors and chemical suppliers.
• Support capital equipment projects through procurement, installation and release for production use

Production Support :

• Achieve customer on-time delivery and cycle time commitments through tool qualification and OEE management with manufacturing operations.
• Coordinates with production on day-to-day activities. Assists in the resolution of production workflow issues.
• Support manufacturing capacity planning optimization.

Documentation & Data Systems :

• Maintain accurate records of processes/recipes, quality checks, and maintenance activities.
• Support engineering data analysis including metrology data, ERP and MES data, and other in-process metrics

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related STEM field with a minimum of (8) years of Semiconductor Electroplating experience or (6) years with a Master's degree (4) years with PhD
• Proficiency in semiconductor electroplating process control, and process development
• Proficiency with selection, startup, operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of electroplating processes and tools
• Experience in a production manufacturing environment
• Experience in Design of Experiment (DOE), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and 6 sigma concepts for process development and control
• Expert in 8D Problem Solving
• Proven ability to lead and work efficiently in a group or as an individual contributor.
• Proficient in project management, workflow planning, and scheduling
• Familiarity with Enterprise Resource Planning and Manufacturing Execution Systems
• US Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance is required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Fluency in MS Office software applications
• Experience in conducting FMEA analyses of processes and equipment
• Proficient in data analysis techniques/programs
• Experience in technical data collection, organization and analysis skills
• Experience with Matlab, VBA and/or similar
• Experience with CAD software (AutoCAD, NX or similar)
• Experience with Minitab software
• Experience with SAP MRP software
• Experience with underbump metallurgy and solder interconnect fabrication
• Experience with reliability assessments for solder bumping and metallization processes
• Experience with fabricating a wide variety of interconnect technologies and metals, including leaded and lead free solders and other metals systems.
• Experience in flip-chip, 2.5D, and 3D packaging
• Active Secret Clearance or Higher
• Six Sigma Blackbelt Certification

Salary Range: $118,600.00 - $178,000.00The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.