Principal Process Engineer

Job Summary

The Principal Process Engineer is a senior technical leader within the Malaysia IL Wafer Process Engineering organization, responsible for providing high-level, self-driven project leadership and deep subject matter expertise in post-Fab wafer processing. This role focuses on wafer backgrind, thinning, and metallization processes critical to successful die assembly, test, and long-term product reliability. The incumbent leverages strong technical depth, data-driven methodologies, and emerging AI-enabled analytics to optimize manufacturing performance, influence executive-level decisions, and drive continuous improvement across the end-to-end semiconductor manufacturing flow.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the principal technical expert for wafer backgrind, thinning, and metallization processes in preparation for die assembly and final test.
• Provide deep technical guidance across wafer fabrication, back-end assembly and packaging, final electrical testing, and reliability qualification.
• Support yield learning, defect reduction, and root cause investigations using semiconductor failure analysis techniques, advanced data analytics, and pattern recognition approaches.
• Lead post-Fab process development, optimization, and sustainment to ensure manufacturability, robustness, yield, and cost competitiveness.
• Apply AI-assisted data analysis, statistical learning, and automation tools to identify process trends, anomalies, and improvement opportunities in high-volume manufacturing environments.
• Partner with Fab, Assembly, Test, Quality, Equipment, IT, and external suppliers to deploy data-driven and AI-enabled solutions that enhance process capability, cycle time, and operational efficiency.
• Own and execute high-impact, self-directed technical and manufacturing projects, ensuring alignment with business objectives, timelines, and quality standards.
• Anticipate technical risks, define mitigation strategies, and leverage predictive insights where applicable to proactively address manufacturing challenges.
• Communicate complex technical and data-driven insights effectively to senior management and executive stakeholders, supporting informed strategic and operational decisions.
• Prepare and deliver high-quality technical presentations and analytics-based reports, translating advanced process and AI insights into clear business impact.
• Act as a trusted technical advisor and collaborative leader within a highly matrixed, global organization.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Data-enabled Engineering, or a related discipline is required.
• Post-graduate degree (Master’s or PhD) is an advantage.

• Minimum 10 years of relevant semiconductor or academic experience in wafer processing, post-Fab manufacturing, assembly/test integration, or related research roles.
• Demonstrated experience applying data analytics, statistical methods, or AI-assisted tools in semiconductor manufacturing, process engineering, or reliability analysis is strongly preferred.

• Deep technical expertise in wafer backgrind, thinning, metallization, and post-Fab process integration.
• Strong working knowledge of AI-enabled manufacturing analytics, including trend detection, process monitoring, yield learning, or decision-support tools (coding expertise not mandatory).
• Advanced data analysis, problem-solving, and executive-level presentation skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work independently while driving results through cross-functional and global collaboration.