Sr. Field Service Engineer

Shift / Travel: Field Service Support with On-Call Rotation and Domestic/International Travel as Required

Position Overview

The Senior Field Service Engineer IV (FSE IV) serves as a lead technical expert responsible for installation, startup, advanced troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, upgrades, and customer support for Quazar Ion Beam systems used in advanced semiconductor processing environments. In this high-visibility role, the FSE IV will support ion beam etch and related beamline-based equipment, ensuring safe, reliable tool performance while providing strong technical leadership during customer escalations, tool-down events, and field-driven corrective actions.

The ideal candidate brings deep hands-on expertise with high-vacuum systems, ion source operation, beam tuning, RF/DC power delivery, electrostatic and magnetic beam control, gas delivery, motion/robotics, endpoint/process control, and complex electromechanical troubleshooting, along with strong customer-facing communication skills in high-pressure fab environments.

Key Responsibilities

1. Quazar Ion Beam Training & Product Readiness

· Complete hands-on training on Quazar Ion Beam system architecture, subsystem operation, maintenance procedures, safety requirements, and field service best practices.

· Work directly with engineering and manufacturing teams during system build, configuration, testing, and initial tool integration activities.

· Help capture, review, and refine service procedures, preventive maintenance protocols, commissioning checklists, and troubleshooting guides for field deployment.

2. Tool Installation, Startup & Commissioning

· Lead and support on-site tool move-in, set-in-place activities, facility hookup verification, chamber preparation, vacuum pump-down, and system power-on for Quazar Ion Beam installations.

· Execute pre-commissioning checks, interlock verification, gas flow validation, vacuum integrity checks, ion source startup, beam tuning support, and Final Acceptance Testing (FAT).

· Interface directly with customer fab engineers, facilities teams, process engineers, and rigging contractors to maintain installation schedules and resolve startup issues quickly.

3. Advanced Technical Troubleshooting & Ion Beam System Support

· Perform routine preventive maintenance and unscheduled corrective maintenance on Quazar Ion Beam systems under customer response-time expectations.

· Lead root-cause failure analysis for complex ion source, beam stability, RF/DC power, gas delivery, high-vacuum, wafer handling, motion control, cooling, safety interlock, and electromechanical escalations.

· Author and drive 8D Quality/Failure Reports to closure in collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, technical support, and customer stakeholders.

4. Customer Account & Escalation Management

· Serve as the primary technical point of contact during critical tool-down scenarios, providing clear status updates, next steps, risk items, and recovery plans to customer fab management.

· Ensure strict adherence to customer safety, cleanroom, high-voltage, RF, vacuum, gas handling, and Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) protocols.

· Mentor and train peer engineers, supporting the development of internal SOPs, troubleshooting guides, service reports, and training logs for Quazar Ion Beam support.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechatronics, Semiconductor Technology, or equivalent military technical experience.
• Experience: 8+ years of direct field service or equipment engineering experience in semiconductor capital equipment manufacturing or advanced wafer fabs.
• Technical Skills:

o Ion Beam System Expertise: Deep knowledge of ion source operation, beam extraction and tuning, beamline components, neutralization, gas delivery, endpoint/process monitoring, chamber conditioning, and process-impacting hardware variables.

o High-Vacuum and Power Delivery: Proficiency with turbomolecular and dry pumps, vacuum gauges, leak checking, RF/DC generators, matching networks, high-voltage power supplies, and related safety practices.

o Hands-on experience reading complex electrical schematics, vacuum diagrams, gas delivery schematics, interlock logic, PLC/HMI screens, and software diagnostic logs.

o Strong working knowledge of cleanroom safety protocols, high-voltage/RF safety, compressed and process gas safety, vacuum safety, robotics safety, and LOTO procedures.

• Soft Skills:
• • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for customer escalation management.
  • Strong problem-solving mindset using structured problem-solving methodologies (e.g., 8D, 5 Whys).
  • Ability to work independently in a fast-paced fab environment and handle high-pressure customer situations.

Preferred Qualifications

· Prior experience with ion beam etch, ion milling, ion implantation, dry etch, or other beamline/high-vacuum semiconductor processing equipment.

· Prior experience working within high-volume 200mm or 300mm wafer fabrication facilities.

· Familiarity with enterprise tracking tools such as Jira, ERP systems, service case management tools, and field action tracking processes.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

· Must be able to work inside semiconductor cleanroom environments requiring full gowning protocol and appropriate PPE while servicing high-vacuum, RF, high-voltage, gas delivery, and motion-control subsystems.

· Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs, bend, stoop, and stand for extended periods.

· Flexibility to travel for product training, customer installations, escalations, and field support needs while participating in on-call rotations as customer demand dictates.