Precision Finishing Engineer

Nano Solutions is a leading manufacturer of high-precision ceramic and composite components for the world's foremost semiconductor capital equipment manufacturers. We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Precision and Quality Engineer to lead quality assurance, precision metrology, and wafer chuck finishing operations.

This position is responsible for managing advanced metrology and flatness characterization activities, serving as the primary customer quality interface, maintaining and improving the company's Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring compliance with customer requirements, and driving continuous improvement initiatives.

The successful candidate will work closely with engineering and production teams to achieve demanding dimensional, flatness, surface roughness, and cosmetic specifications for semiconductor wafer handling and process components. The role will also support ERP implementation and production control initiatives to improve operational efficiency, yield, and on-time delivery performance.

Key Responsibilities

Precision Quality Management System

• Maintain, improve, and ensure compliance with the company's Quality Management System (QMS).
• Develop and maintain quality procedures, work instructions, inspection plans, and documentation.
• Coordinate internal audits and customer audits.
• Lead corrective and preventive action (CAPA) activities.
• Drive root cause investigations and verify effectiveness of corrective actions.
• Ensure document control and revision management processes are maintained.

Wafer Chuck Flatness and Finishing Operations

• Lead quality and flatness control activities for precision wafer chuck manufacturing and finishing operations.
• Develop inspection methodologies and acceptance criteria for flatness, TTV, parallelism, roughness, and cosmetic requirements.
• Analyze metrology results and collaborate with manufacturing personnel to improve polishing, lapping, grinding, and finishing processes.
• Support achievement of demanding flatness specifications on wafer chucks and precision ceramic components.
• Review and disposition out-of-specification products and recommend corrective actions.
• Establish process controls to improve flatness yield and reduce rework.

Advanced Metrology and Characterization

• Operate and oversee advanced metrology systems used for characterization of precision components.
• Analyze and interpret measurement data from:
• Phase Shift Interferometry (PSI)
• White Light Interferometry (WLI)
• Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM)
• Optical Profilometers
• Surface Roughness Measurement Systems
• Laser Interferometry Systems
• Perform characterization of:
• Flatness
• Total Thickness Variation (TTV)
• Parallelism
• Surface Roughness
• Geometric Tolerances
• Develop measurement procedures and ensure metrology systems remain calibrated and capable.

Quality Metrics and Business Performance

• Develop, monitor, and report key quality and operational metrics including:
• First Pass Yield (FPY)
• Scrap Rate
• Rework Rate
• On-Time Delivery (OTD)
• Customer Returns and Complaints
• Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
• Supplier Quality Performance
• Generate weekly and monthly management reports.
• Establish data-driven improvement plans to improve yield, quality, and throughput.

Production Control and ERP Improvement

• Work closely with the Production Manager to improve production planning, scheduling, work order management, and shop floor execution.
• Support implementation and continuous improvement of the company's ERP system.
• Improve manufacturing visibility, traceability, and reporting through effective ERP utilization.
• Develop dashboards and reporting tools for production and quality metrics.
• Ensure accurate collection and reporting of manufacturing and quality data.

Customer Quality Interface

• Serve as the primary customer contact for quality-related issues.
• Manage customer complaints, nonconformance reports, and corrective action requests.
• Coordinate customer audits and supplier quality assessments.
• Prepare and present quality reports and corrective action plans to customers.
• Develop strong working relationships with customer quality and engineering organizations.

Supplier Quality Management

• Evaluate supplier quality performance.
• Support supplier qualification and auditing activities.
• Lead supplier corrective action requests when required.
• Collaborate with suppliers to improve incoming material quality and reliability.
• Promote a culture of quality, accountability, and operational excellence.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Utilize SPC, process capability studies, FMEA, and other quality tools to improve process performance.
• Drive initiatives to improve yield, reduce scrap, and improve customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Quality Engineering, Optical Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Advanced degree preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of quality leadership experience in precision manufacturing.
• Experience in semiconductor, ceramics,…