SCD/3D passive Device Characterization Engineer – Advanced Logic & Superconducting Devices

What you will do

The Compute Device team develops and applies advanced electrical characterization and data-analysis methods to understand device performance, process variability, yield and reliability.

We are looking for a versatile and motivated R&D Device Characterization Engineer who enjoys working across technologies. You will contribute to the characterization of specialized components such as superconducting wires, vias, capacitors, and Josephson junctions as well as advanced logic devices including scaled 3D interconnects.
You do not need to be an expert in all these technologies from day one. A good semiconductor device or process background, strong reasoning skills and the motivation to expand into new device domains are most important.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Plan, execute and interpret electrical characterization of semiconductor and superconducting devices.
• Study large wafer-level datasets containing junction, wire, via, transistor and capacitor measurements.
• Monitor process stability and identify drifts, wafer-to-wafer variations, yield limitations, and uniformity issues.
• Develop efficient and reproducible investigation and reporting workflows using Python, JMP or similar tools.
• Correlate electrical results with process conditions and material-characterization data such as sheet resistance, resistivity, film thickness, and wafer maps.
• Investigate how variations in deposition, lithography, etching, CMP, and process integration affect device resistance, yield, and performance.
• Perform and interpret measurements including four-probe and van der Pauw measurements, leakage, dielectric breakdown, I-V and C-V characterization, and capacitor cycling.
• Work hands-on with electrical measurement hardware, including source-measure units, digital multimeters, probe stations, and related instrumentation.
• Use GDS layouts to identify and verify the design and connectivity of measured structures.
• Translate measurement results into clear technical conclusions and actionable recommendations.
• Prepare concise characterization reports and present your findings to device, process-integration, materials, and project teams.
• Collaborate across multiple projects, lots, designs, and experimental plans in a fast-moving R&D environment.
• Continuously improve measurement methods, data-analysis workflows, and reporting efficiency.

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research device team in compute technology located in Leuven, Belgium.

You will work in a unique multidisciplinary environment where advanced semiconductor logic and emerging superconducting technologies come together. This position offers broad exposure to device physics, semiconductor processing, electrical characterization, materials, data analytics, and process control.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Work on technologies that are ahead of industrial production.
• Develop expertise across both advanced CMOS and specialized device platforms.
• Collaborate with experienced device, process, materials, integration and data experts.
• Use advanced electrical characterization infrastructure and large-scale wafer datasets.
• Take ownership of technical investigations and contribute directly to technology choices.
• Grow through hands-on experience, technical mentoring and imec’s learning and development programs.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth. 

We are aware that your valuable contribution makes imec a top player in its field. Your energy and commitment are therefore appreciated by means of a market appropriate salary with many fringe benefits. 

Who you are

• You hold a master’s degree in electrical engineering, electronic engineering, microelectronics, applied physics, materials science, or a related field. Candidates with a bachelor’s degree and strong relevant professional experience are also encouraged to apply.
• You have a good understanding of semiconductor devices, microfabrication, or process integration.
• You understand how process steps (such as thin-film deposition, lithography, etching, CMP, and thermal processing) can affect electrical performance, variability, yield, and uniformity.
• You are comfortable analyzing large and complex datasets and extracting clear, physically meaningful conclusions.
• You have experience with Python, JMP or another data-analysis and scripting environment.
• You have practical knowledge of electrical measurements and laboratory instrumentation, such as SMUs, DMMs, probe stations, or parameter analyzers.
• You are familiar with electrical characterization techniques such as four-probe and van der Pauw measurements, I-V and C-V measurements, leakage analysis, and dielectric breakdown.
• You can navigate or inspect GDS layouts to understand the structures being measured.
• You are fluent in written and spoken English.
• You communicate technical results clearly and work effectively with colleagues from different technical backgrounds.
• You are well organized and comfortable managing activities across several lots, designs, experiments, and projects.
• You are curious, hands-on, and eager to learn technologies outside your current field of expertise.

Experienced device engineers who may not yet have worked on superconducting devices are strongly encouraged to apply, provided they are highly motivated to broaden their expertise.

Experience that is considered an asset:

• Knowledge of superconductivity fundamentals, including Cooper pairs, critical temperature, critical current and flux quantization.
• Understanding of Josephson-junction physics and the cryogenic behavior of materials and electrical components.
• Experience characterizing superconducting wires, vias, junctions, or circuits also in the context of advanced Middle-Of-Line and 3D stacking interconnect/wafers.
• Experience with wafer-level statistical process control, automated report generation, or long-term process-drift monitoring.
• Knowledge of material effects such as contamination, stoichiometry, oxidation, film thickness, and composition.
• Experience correlating material and process data with electrical device performance.
• Familiarity with automated semiconductor test environments and wafer-level data platforms.

IMEC and its affiliates will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. IMEC will consider unsolicited referrals and/or resumes submitted by vendors such as search firms, staffing agencies, professional recruiters, fee-based referral services and recruiting agencies (hereafter “Agency”) to have been referred by the Agency free of charge. IMEC will not pay a fee to any Agency that does not have a prior written agreement with IMEC, validated by its HR department, in place regarding a specific job opening and allowing to submit resumes.