Yield Enhancement Engineer

About the Role

A Yield Enhancement Defect Engineer at TSMC Washington bridges the gap between raw process data and customer satisfaction. The primary mission is to identify, analyze, and eradicate physical or electrical defect sources that limit wafer yields. Working inside a high-volume manufacturing cleanroom ecosystem, engineers use advanced metrology, data analytics, and cross-departmental collaboration to prevent production line deviations (excursions) and optimize mature CMOS process node.

Key Responsibilities

• Defect Reduction & Yield Improvement
• Root-Cause Analysis: Use physical failure analysis (PFA), statistical data monitoring, and electrical characterization to proactively uncover complex tool or loop-level defect modes.
• Defect Roadmapping: Establish aggressive defect-reduction goals and optimize manufacturing steps alongside integration and module teams.
• Continuous Improvement (CIP): Lead baseline yield expansion and baseline defect-density reduction tasks to drive structural manufacturing performance.
• Metrology & Inline Inspection Management
• Tool Ownership: Act as the technical owner of inline defect inspection, review, and scan equipment (such as optical systems).
• Recipe Optimization: Program, tune, and advance inline recipes to improve defect detection sensitivity while minimizing false counts.
• Statistical Process Control (SPC): Utilize advanced SPC algorithms to catch tool or process deviations early before they compound into high-cost product scrap events.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Customer Support
• Module & Integration Liaison: Collaborate directly with Etch, Thin Film, Lithography, and Diffusion module engineers to isolate tool-induced particle or defect signatures.
• Customer Technical Partnership: Translate raw inline defect or yield metrics into actionable engineering data to support key global customer product run-rates and address specific manufacturing concerns.
• Additional Responsibilities
• Transferring new products and technologies from TSMC headquarters.
• Reviewing daily WAT and online/offline abnormal signal and implementing containment and preventative actions.
• Collaborating with FAB engineering team to improve yield and WAY stability and reduce process defects.
• Providing technical support to mixed signal customers.
• Customized structure process integration development.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or related STEM fields.
• Comprehensive understanding of semiconductor physics, CMOS fabrication flows, failure analysis methodologies, and advanced statistical modeling software.
• Familiarity with SPC concept practice and statistical data analysis.
• Programming or semiconductor fabrication experience a plus.
• Self-starting, highly motivated individuals.

Qualifications

• Team player with strong communication skills.
• Detail oriented with excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Project management capability.
• Motivated by achieving measurable results and improving performance.
• Maintains focus and accuracy when working on intricate tasks, ensuring accuracy while managing deadlines and pressures.

Work Location & Schedule

• This position operates fully on-site at our campus in Camas, Washington.
• Standard Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
• Flexibility: Candidates should have the flexibility to work additional hours as needed to meet business and project milestones. Production sustaining engineers are frequently required to adapt to a condensed 12-hour rotating shift or participate in on-duty weekend rotations.

Core Values

TSMC seeks candidates who embody the following principles:

• Integrity: Act with absolute honesty, honor commitments, and deliver on promises with humility.
• Commitment: Foster a mutually beneficial partnership between the company and employees, aligning personal dedication with collective success.
• Innovation: Generate and execute ideas to drive meaningful advancement.
• Customer Trust: Build deep, enduring partnerships, positioning TSMC as a reliable pillar of customers’ long-term success.