Advanced Process Development Engineer

Job Details:

Job Location:

Hayward, CA 94545, Position Type:
Full Time, Salary Range: $ - $ Salary/year, Travel Percentage:
Up to 50% , Job Shift: First Shift

Pentagon Technologies, Inc. is a leader in providing mission-critical semiconductor services that touch every device with a computer chip inside. Our customers include the largest semiconductor chip and OEM tool manufacturers in the industry. We stay at the forefront of our industry through innovation, technical proficiency, and our amazing employees. Our industry is in the midst of unprecedented growth and Pentagon is seeking outstanding candidates to join our team!

Pentagon Technologies is seeking an Advanced Process Development Engineer to develop, qualify, and industrialize next-generation precision cleaning, surface treatment, coating, and contamination-control solutions for semiconductor manufacturing equipment. This engineer will primarily connect customer wafer-fab requirements with Pentagon's laboratory and production capabilities - translating process-tool challenges, chamber-part failure modes, and advanced-node contamination risks into robust, scalable service processes.

The ideal candidate brings direct experience inside a leading semiconductor manufacturer such as Intel, TSMC, Micron, Samsung, Global Foundries, or Texas Instruments, or equivalent customer-facing experience with an equipment OEM such as Applied Materials or Lam Research. The role requires the technical depth to engage process, equipment, yield, and supplier-quality engineers and the execution discipline to move concepts from experiment through customer qualification and multi-site production release.

Qualified new processes that solve real customer problems, improve chamber performance and part life, lead Pentagon’s continuous improvement projects and can be reproduced safely and profitably across Pentagon sites.

• Own development programs for precision cleaning, chemical stripping, surface preparation, texturing, passivation, coating, and contamination-control processes used on semiconductor tool chamber components.
• Translate customer process conditions - including deposition and etch films, plasma exposure, temperature, chemistry, RF environment, and chamber matching requirements - into part-level cleaning and coating specifications.
• Lead structured experimentation using DOE, statistical analysis, and sound materials characterization to establish process windows, critical parameters, acceptance criteria, and control plans.
• Develop customer qualification plans and technical packages, including baseline characterization, coupons or part trials, risk assessment, data analysis, deviation management, and final qualification reports.
• Serve as a technical interface with fab process, equipment, yield, contamination-control, and supplier-quality teams; participate in technical reviews, excursions, and root-cause investigations.
• Evaluate component failure mechanisms such as corrosion, erosion, particle generation, coating delamination, dimensional change, residue retention, and cross-contamination; recommend solutions based on evidence.
• Partner with Operations to transfer laboratory processes into production using PFMEA, control plans, work instructions, SPC, measurement-system analysis, training, and release criteria
• Lead CAPA, 8D, and failure-analysis activity for complex customer or process issues; communicate conclusions and corrective actions clearly to technical and executive audiences.
• Develop and validate analytical methods for particles, metals, organics, surface chemistry, morphology, thickness, adhesion, roughness, and cleanliness as applicable.
• Support new equipment selection, specification, installation, process acceptance, and ramp; ensure EHS, chemical compatibility, waste, and permitting requirements are addressed early.
• Build technology roadmaps by monitoring advanced-node process changes, new chamber materials and coatings, OEM platform evolution, and unmet customer needs.
• Protect Pentagon intellectual property through disciplined documentation, invention disclosures, confidentiality practices, and collaboration with legal and commercial teams.
• Provide technical input to quotations, business cases, and customer proposals, including process flow, cycle time, capacity, capital, cost, risk, and anticipated value to the customer.
• Standardize successful processes across Pentagon locations while respecting customer-specific copy‑exact,…