Early-Career Semiconductor Engineer

May 12, 2025
$93320

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Job Description

About HRL Laboratories:

HRL Laboratories is seeking a motivated early-career engineer to join its multidisciplinary research team. The team focuses on developing cutting-edge semiconductor technologies for infrared sensing, advanced interconnect, and quantum information science. The company offers opportunities for continued learning through educational benefits, conference attendance, and in-house seminars.

Job Description:

This is a hands-on, lab-based position ideal for a recent graduate (B.S. or M.S.) with a strong foundation in cleanroom fabrication. The role involves significant involvement in cutting-edge R&D, working on novel semiconductor devices. The work encompasses the full device lifecycle—from epitaxy to fabrication, packaging, and testing.

Essential Duties:

Supporting fabrication and development: Collaborate with senior engineers in the fabrication and development of novel semiconductor devices.
Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot process issues using metrology tools such as AFM, profilometry, ellipsometry, optical microscopy, and SEM.
Process development: Assist in process development across various modules, including lithography, deposition, dry/wet etch, and plating.
Data analysis and presentation: Document and analyze experimental results, presenting findings to a technical team.
Cleanroom maintenance: Maintain cleanroom hygiene standards and adhere to safety protocols for handling hazardous materials and chemicals.
Process improvement: Contribute to process improvements and experimental design within a dynamic R&D setting.

Required Skills:

Cleanroom fabrication experience: Proven experience or strong familiarity with cleanroom fabrication processes (photolithography, deposition, etching, thin film metrology).
Technical proficiency: Comfortable with technical terminology and eager to perform hands-on lab work.
Safety awareness: Ability to follow safety procedures and maintain focus at microscope and bench stations for extended periods. Safe handling of hazardous materials, chemicals, and gases is essential.
Dexterity: Dexterity in handling microelectronic chips and wafers.
Personal attributes: Highly curious, detail-oriented, motivated, proactive communicator, team player, problem-solver, ability to work with minimal supervision.
Software proficiency: Experience with productivity tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) for data analysis and documentation.
Preferred skills: 1-3 years of hands-on microfabrication cleanroom experience (academic or industry), familiarity with process development and device fabrication workflows, exposure to infrared sensing or quantum computing technologies.

Required Education:

A recent B.S. or M.S. graduate in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, or a related field.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to work in a class 10 cleanroom, mobility to work in confined spaces, good visual and hearing acuity.

Special Requirements:

U.S. Citizenship; ability to obtain and maintain a government security clearance is a plus.

Compensation:

The base salary range is $76,530 – $93,320 + bonus + benefits. Individual pay is determined by location and other factors.