Senior Researcher - Process Development

Introduction to the job

ASML is one of the world's leading manufacturers of lithography systems that help enable Moore's Law and the creation of increasingly powerful and capable electronic devices. At our San Diego location we are renowned for developing both deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography light sources and next generation extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources. We are a multinational company with over 70 locations in 16 countries, headquartered in Veldhoven, the Netherlands.

If you have a passion for technology and innovation you'll want to check us out. Be a part of ASML. Be a part of progress.

Job mission

The EUV lithography process begins when droplets of liquid tin are injected into the focal point of a high-powered laser, where they are vaporized/ionized to generate 13.5-nm light. The stable delivery of these droplets (in size, speed, spacing, and positioning) is accomplished via the Droplet Generator functional module. The function is fully responsible for development of the droplet generator, for integration and testing of the modules and sub-components, and for overall integration of the module within the system. Functional development involves challenges in the fields of high-pressure mechanics, fluid dynamics, high-speed controls, surface chemistry, glasses, liquid metal interactions, and more.

The complexity of the droplet generation requirements put exciting demands on the Droplet Generation Staff Researcher, who will be working within a multidisciplinary team mastering complex engineering activities of significant technical depth related to multiple phases of the product development, including technology pathfinding, theoretical and experimental feasibility studies, design and development activities, manufacturing process development and factory introduction, problem solving and troubleshooting. Ideal candidates will be incredibly organized, have a strong knowledge of applied physics, metrology, controls, experiment design, and process development, hands-on knowledge of diverse vacuum and gas pressurized equipment, and have a genuine desire to push the boundaries of these technologies forward.

Role and responsibilities

• Guide development of high-level architecture for the formation of tin droplets in the EUV source, as well as metrology systems for measuring the performance of the system, in order to improve the EUV generation process; improve droplet formation models via experimental validation; build and maintain model improvement roadmaps.

• Provide input to technology roadmaps and identify key scientific learning objectives and define corresponding experimental design to arrive at design guidelines, performance requirements and procedures for product development and engineering design.

• Develop, validate, and prototype manufacturing processes and practices to deliver optimized process flows to ensure sub-module and module performance repeatability and quality.

• Develop and execute module, sub-module and integrated system performance tests, analyze test results and extract actionable knowledge from sub-module to full-system levels.

• Troubleshoot and isolate equipment problems in laboratory and integration testing, assist in analyzing, diagnosing, and troubleshooting problems in the factory and at customer sites remotely and in person.

• Document learning and communicate knowledge to engineering and product development teams to guide product improvement and release of new product nodes.

• Work independently and in teams to deliver on a stated objective, whether it be the pursuit of new knowledge, the demonstration of a new capability, or the characterization of existing performance.

• Perform other duties as assigned

Education and experience

• Requires PhD degree in a STEM field with a minimum of 5 years of research and development experience; MS degree with equivalent experience will be considered

• Experience with semiconductor capital equipment development is a strong plus

• Deep understanding of scientific research methods and strong scientific curiosity

• Ability to clearly and logically communicate ideas and knowledge to various audiences, covering full range from understanding of large, complex systems to individual technical details.

• Demonstrated ability to lead a research project involving multiple stakeholders and constraints, balancing functional requirements against aggressive timelines and resource limitations.

• Excellent self-actuated time and task management skills with the ability to distinguish and focus on highest-impact actions.

• Hands-on experience with complex system design and build, including rapid prototyping, characterization and troubleshooting, and system-level demonstrations.

• Extensive experience with experimental data analysis and development of data analysis tools with, for instance, Matlab or Python and data acquisition systems such as NI Labview

• Experience with Process Development, Design of Experiments, and Statistical Process Controls methodology.

Other information

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This position requires access to controlled technology, as defined in the Export Administration Regulations (15 C.F.R. § 730, et seq.). Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to access such controlled technology prior to beginning work. Business demands may require ASML to proceed with candidates who are immediately eligible to access controlled technology.

EOE AA M/F/Veteran/Disability

Diversity and inclusion

ASML is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a driving force in the success of our company.

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