Process Engineer II (Carlsbad)

ABOUT THE ROLE

Palomar Technologies’ Advanced Solutions Division (ASD) provides high-complexity engineering services to customers in the semiconductor, microelectronics, photonics, medical, aerospace, defense, and advanced-packaging industries. Our services include process development, prototyping, contract manufacturing, training, consulting, and process optimization.

We are seeking a Process Engineer II with hands-on experience operating, programming, troubleshooting, or developing processes on back-end semiconductor manufacturing and assembly equipment.

This is a highly hands-on engineering role. You will spend a significant portion of your workweek in the cleanroom/lab working directly on die bonders, wire bonders, pick-and-place systems, and related assembly equipment. This is not primarily a desk-based or open-ended research position.

Your immediate focus will be die attach and wire bonding process development. You will translate customer product requirements into stable, repeatable, and documented equipment recipes and assembly processes. These processes may support prototypes and higher-quantity follow-on orders at ASD or be transferred to a customer’s Palomar equipment or an outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) partner using Palomar equipment.

As ASD expands its active alignment capabilities for photonics applications, engineers may also have opportunities to gain exposure to and cross-train in active alignment based on customer demand and business needs.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Develop, optimize, and execute microelectronics assembly processes for customer applications, including die attach, pick-and-place, wire bonding, wedge and ball bonding, vacuum soldering, dispensing, curing, and prototype or low-volume assembly.

• Spend a significant portion of the workweek in the clean room/lab performing hands-on equipment setup, programming, process execution, inspection, optimization, and troubleshooting.

• Translate customer requirements, drawings, specifications, and statements of work into practical process plans.

• Operate and program back-end semiconductor assembly equipment, including die bonders, wire bonders, pick-and-place tools, dispense systems, soldering systems, and related packaging equipment.

• Identify and control critical process variables involving vision and pattern recognition, tooling, placement accuracy, bond quality, dispense repeatability, alignment, force, temperature, vacuum, motion, and material behavior.

• Adapt existing equipment programs or develop new, documented equipment recipes and programs that meet customer-specific requirements and enable reliable process transfer.

• Develop repeatable processes that support prototype builds, follow-on orders at ASD, and transfer to customer or OSAT production environments.

• Work directly with customers to understand technical requirements, constraints, desired outcomes, and the intended path for follow-on production or process transfer.

• Provide feedback on manufacturability, process feasibility, material risks, tooling requirements, and design concerns.

• Own assigned customer projects from kickoff through execution, documentation, and closeout.

• Manage multiple projects in a high-mix environment with changing priorities and short timelines.

• Communicate project status, technical issues, risks, and recommended solutions clearly to customers and internal stakeholders.

• Document equipment recipes, process settings, programs, tooling, inspection results, and lessons learned in sufficient detail to repeat or transfer the process.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related technical discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant hands-on experience.

• Typically, 3–7 years of relevant process engineering experience in semiconductor packaging, microelectronics assembly, photonics assembly, medical device assembly, aerospace electronics, high-reliability manufacturing, or a related environment.

• Direct hands-on experience with at least one of the following:

– Die attach equipment

– Pick-and-place systems

– Wire bonders

– Wedge or ball bonders

– Dispense systems

– Vacuum soldering or thermal process equipment

– Precision assembly or packaging systems

• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot equipment and process issues using structured problem-solving methods.

• Ability to read and interpret customer drawings, specifications, tolerances, and assembly requirements.

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability and willingness to spend many hours each week working hands-on in a cleanroom/lab environment and following applicable gowning, safety, material-handling, and equipment procedures.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with Palomar die bonders, wire bonders, vacuum soldering systems, or similar back-end assembly platforms.

• Experience with equipment from manufacturers such as ASMPT, Kulicke & Soffa, Besi, Datacon, Finetech, F&K Delvotec, Hesse, West Bond, AIXEMTEC, ficonTEC, or similar.

• Experience in high-mix/low-volume contract manufacturing, process development, new product introduction, or customer-facing engineering services.

• Familiarity with machine vision, precision placement, epoxy dispensing, eutectic or solder attach, wire pull or shear testing, optical inspection, and metrology.

• Familiarity with root cause analysis, DOE, SPC, FMEA, or other structured problem-solving methods.

• Experience working with customer-supplied materials or consigned inventory.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

Within your first 6–12 months, you will independently execute customer projects using ASD packaging equipment, program and troubleshoot at least one core back-end process area, communicate effectively with customers, and produce clear, transfer-ready recipes and documentation that enable repeat builds at ASD or implementation on compatible Palomar equipment at a customer or OSAT.