Semiconductor Sustaining Engineer

Priority may be given to the following designated employment equity groups: women, Indigenous peoples* (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), persons with disabilities and racialized persons*.

The Employment Equity Act, which is pending review, uses the terminology Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities.

Candidates are asked to self‑declare their status when applying to this hiring process.

City: Ottawa
Organizational Unit: Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre
Classification: RCO
Tenure: Term
Duration: 2 years
Language Requirements: English
Work Arrangements: Due to the nature of the work and operational requirements, this position will require full‑time physical presence at the NRC work location identified.

We are looking for a Semiconductor Sustaining Engineer to support the evening‑shift operations at the Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre (CPFC). The incumbent will sustain and optimize III‑V semiconductor fabrication processes within a production cleanroom environment, supporting client‑driven projects and ensuring process stability, documentation integrity, and operational continuity.

This role requires strong technical troubleshooting capability, collaboration with engineering and operations teams, and the ability to provide technical guidance and support to junior staff. The successful candidate will contribute to process robustness, continuous improvement initiatives, and adherence to cleanroom and occupational health and safety standards.

• Bachelor’s degree in Physical Sciences, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related engineering or applied science discipline.
• A PhD or Master’s in one of these disciplines will be considered an asset.
• Certificates and diplomas issued abroad: see degree equivalency.

• Extensive and recent hands‑on experience in semiconductor device fabrication within an industrial production cleanroom environment.
• Extensive experience sustaining and optimizing III‑V semiconductor fabrication processes, including troubleshooting, process stability, and yield improvement.
• Significant hands‑on experience in at least one of the following core process areas:
  • Dielectric deposition, and/or etch (including III‑V etch)
  • Metallization
  • Lithography and/or metrology
• Significant experience integrating multiple fabrication steps within a semiconductor device flow, with demonstrated understanding of cross‑process interactions and their impact on yield and performance.
• Significant experience using MES and DOE data to support process monitoring, variation control, and decision‑making.
• Significant experience is defined as experience of three (3) to five (5) years.
• Extensive experience is defined as experience of at least seven (7) years.
• Recent:
  Within the last two (2) years.

• Reliability Status (for a Reliability Status, verification of background information over a period of 5 years is required).
• Must be eligible for the Controlled Goods program (training provided).
• Willingness and ability to work with hazardous materials (e.g., III‑V semiconductor compounds) in a cleanroom/laboratory environment.

• Demonstrated hands‑on knowledge of III‑V semiconductor fabrication processes (dielectric deposition/etch, metallization, and/or lithography/metrology).
• Demonstrated ability to sustain and optimize semiconductor fabrication processes, ensuring process stability, repeatability, and yield through effective execution and application of data‑driven methodologies such as SPC, DoE, and MES.
• Solid knowledge of troubleshooting methodologies, including investigation of process deviations or tool instability, root‑cause analysis, and implementation of corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Demonstrated knowledge of III‑V semiconductor process integration, including the impact of process variations on downstream steps, device performance, and yield.
• Solid knowledge of cleanroom safety practices, including safe handling of chemicals, compressed gases, and fabrication equipment, in accordance with established operational and health and safety procedures.

• Re…