Storage Memory Electrical Characterization Engineer

What you will do

Memories are an essential building block for all electronic systems and great efforts are being made by the industry and academia to improve existing technologies and to invent new ones. Storage-type memories cover the non-volatile part of the memory spectrum, where high density at low cost is the main driver. Storage devices are leading the electronics industry today, accounting for over 80% of all transistors manufactured. 3-dimensional NAND flash memory devices are mainstream for generic storage non-volatile applications (SD cards, USB drives, SSD), but more type of devices, specialized in specific tasks, are heavily investigated today to cover specific applications, like compute-in-memory for AI applications, or storage class memories. Such applications relax certain specifications (like the data retention requirements) to boost instead other aspects, such as cycling and/or writing speed. While 3D NAND devices are mainly based on the concept of retaining data through trapping of electrons inside an insulator material, to serve different purposes, other physical mechanisms can be exploited, including storage of charge in thin electrodes, ferroelectricity effect or access transistor with very low channel leakage (exploiting 2D material, or oxide-semiconductors instead of the classical silicon). 

Imec is looking for an Electrical Characterization Engineer with experience in transistor characterization and in storage-type of memories devices, including devices based on floating gate, charge trapping and ferroelectric technologies. The job consists in thorough electrical characterization in the lab with strong focus on understanding of device operations and physics. The learning guides subsequent material/device design, eventually improving device performance. Typical activities include: 

• Investigate passive and active device electrical behaviors and properties, including (but not limited to) process sanity test structures, resistors, capacitors, memory transistors, access transistors, passive mini arrays and kb-size active memory arrays.
• Design of individual and array memory devices and/or access transistors.
• Deliver understanding of the impact of process, materials and design on the electrical behavior of characterized devices.

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will determine the society of tomorrow.

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. In everything we do, your future colleagues are guided by the imec values of passion, excellence, connectedness, and integrity. 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 have a PhD degree (or a Master degree with at least 2 year of working experience, preferably in the field of memory testing) in Electrical Engineering or Nanotechnology, material science or Physics.
• Experience in semiconductor memory technology (Ferroelectric, charge trapping or floating gate) is mandatory.
• Experience in electrical device testing on probe station is mandatory.
• Capability of working in a team is mandatory.
• Experience in electrical array testing is an important advantage.
• Experience with silicon device processing is an important advantage.
• We are looking for a self-motivated team player with good communication skills, yet able to independently solve complex problems with limited supervision.
• We appreciate your open mind and multi-disciplinary attitude.
• Given the international character of imec, good knowledge of (spoken and written) English is a must. 

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.