Electromechanical engineer
Reston, VA - USA
Job Summary
Position: Electromechanical engineer
Work Location: Reston VA
Payrate: $55.00/hr
Job Description:
- Design 300 mm wafer chucks including vacuum chucks edge grip mechanisms compliant fingers and kinematic supports.
- Perform stress deformation and warp accommodation modeling to ensure ultra low wafer stress during handling.
- Develop motion mechanisms for raise/lower (Z axis) and edge grip actuation that prevent wafer damage and meet precision requirements.
- Ensure all designs meet ISO Class 1 cleanroom particle generation specifications and support high volume 24/7 fab operation.
- Select appropriate low outgassing non particulating materials (e.g. PEEK Vespel Alumina DLC etc.) and coatings suitable for semiconductor tools.
- Work with controls engineers on soft landing jerk limited motion profiles and closed loop sensing for wafer presence alignment and force control.
- Conduct FEA simulations for thin wafer stress contact mechanics modal behavior and static/dynamic loads.
- Perform particle testing vacuum leak testing wafer stress validation and endurance testing.
- Generate engineering documentation: DFMEA test plans tolerance stackups and SEMI/ISO compliance documents.
- Collaborate with cross functional teams (systems electronics materials manufacturing) for prototype builds and tool integration.
Skill:
Technical Skills
- 300 mm wafer handling design (edge grip vacuum kinematic support)
- Precision chuck design & compliant mechanisms
- FEA (ANSYS Abaqus COMSOL) - stress modal and contact analysis
- Modeling warped/bowed wafers thin plate mechanics
- Cleanroom design principles - ISO Class 1 low particle mechanisms
- Vacuum system design leak tight sealing He leak testing
Material selection for semiconductor tools:
- PEEK Vespel PTFE PPS
- Alumina Aluminum Nitride Ti 6Al 4V
- Hard anodize DLC TiN Parylene coatings
Motion system design:
- Linear motors voice coil actuators pneumatic micro actuators
- Flexures guides cross roller bearings
- Jerk limited (S curve) motion and soft landing control
- Edge grip mechanism design with low clamping forces
- Tolerance analysis GD&T DFMEA DOE
- Semiconductor standards familiarity: SEMI M1 M49 E57 E84 ISO 14644
Metrology & Testing Skills
- Warp bow TTV measurement techniques
- Particle measurement and contamination control
- Vacuum integrity tests (helium mass spectrometer pressure decay)
- Wafer alignment and edge detection sensors (optical/capacitive)
- Reliability testing for 24/7 fab duty
Software Skills
- CAD: SolidWorks Creo NX
- Simulation tools: ANSYS/Abaqus/COMSOL
- Data tools: MATLAB Python
- Motion/controls: Beckhoff TwinCAT Siemens/Omron PLCs
Soft Skills
- Strong cross functional collaboration
- Root cause analysis (8D 5 Whys Ishikawa)
- Clear documentation & communication
- Ownership and design for reliability mindset