Principal Reliability Engineer

A Day in Your Life at MKS

MKS is committed to being the highest quality and reliability provider of advanced RF and DC power generators enabling capabilities for advanced plasma processing used by Scientific & Industrial customers. As part of the mission, the Principal Reliability Engineer will be responsible for supporting Power Solutions reliability and test programs including product development, design for reliability, design for manufacturability, as well as advanced reliability testing.

This position will include the improvement and/or development of new design processes which enhance reliability and will also interface internally with the design engineering/manufacturing groups and externally with the customer on key reliability programs and issues.

• Develop and implement reliability plans including design, validation, qualification and assessment methods to support successful new Power Solutions product introductions
• Provide technical support throughout the product life cycle on-going sustaining activities
• Interface with design engineering and marketing organizations to establish internal reliability testing conditions representative of customer applications
• Perform various DfR techniques: lead the product qualification-testing, including functional testing, reliability and durability testing (HALT, HASS, ALT, etc.), in addition to ownership of reliability test equipment (reliability labs), reliability predictions (modeled and field - MTBF), reliability allocation, Design FME(C)
  A, Weibull Analysis, warranty collation and reporting to achieve company and customer reliability objectives
• Support and drive Power Solutions reliability improvement activities including best practice adoption, custom hardware development, and tool automation
• Perform root cause analysis for failures that occurred in reliability testing and/or in the field
• Participate in cross functional team efforts during product design reviews focused on reliability concerns, critical components, and potential wear out failure modes
• Generate reliability analysis reports for internal and external customers according to industry standards and best practices
• Collaborate with peer engineering experts in other MKS business units
• Identify improved instrumentation (e.g., data collection) supporting the reliability assessment of subassemblies and components, quantifying characteristics critical to overall system reliability

• B.S. (M.S. is a plus), Electrical Engineering, Semiconductor Material sciences or related field
• ASQ CRE preferred
• 8+ years reliability engineering experience in electronic systems and/or component failure analysis
• Experienced in thermal measurement and device characterization techniques
• Can interpret results from failure analysis tools including: X-ray, Acoustic Microscopy, Material Cross Sectional analysis, SEM/EDX, Emission Microscopy, etc.
• Understands PCBA and electronic component failure mechanisms and physics of failure
• Experienced in Design for Reliability techniques, approaches and methods
• Experienced in applying reliability modeling techniques and tools to identify potential wear out modes (e.g., Telcordia Prediction, Weibull)
• Experienced in HALT testing approaches, HASS profile design and ALT test methods
• Experienced in data collection techniques and statistical analysis; experience in applied machine learning is a plus
• Excellent communication skills. Can communicate work plans, schedules, resource needs as well present analysis and results, and drive key decisions to cross functional audiences
• Potential travel time (5%)

• Perform activities such as sitting, standing, or typing for extended periods of time
• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Regularly requires good manual dexterity and coordination
• Occasionally moves/positions objects up to 50 lbs.
• Frequently positions self to perform tasks and positions objects below, at, and above shoulder level
• Regularly requires manual dexterity and coordination of objects below, at and above shoulder level
• Must be able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand
• Must be able to exchange accurate…