Principal Process Engineer

Applied Angstrom Technology Pte. Ltd. (“AAT”) is a start-up semiconductor equipment company with our headquarter in Singapore. AAT has the mission to be the world-class process technology provider in the Angstrom era for 3D device manufacturing and to build an ecosystem in equipment design, manufacturing, and component/material supply chain in US and Singapore. As a Principal Process Engineer at AAT, you will operate on cutting-edge technology at the atomic scale, serving as a technical authority and strategic owner for AAT’s next-generation atomic layer etch technologies. You will bridge plasma physics, material science, and chamber hardware design to define the process roadmaps that enable Angstrom-era device. In this high-impact principal role, you will lead complex R&D initiatives, architect breakthrough etch formulations, co-optimize hardware-process parameters with engineering teams. You will also mentor senior engineers and scientists, drive patent generation, and influence AAT’s AI-native process control algorithms. Job Description: The ideal candidate shall be able to perform the following: • Drive the technical strategy and process architecture for novel Atomic Layer Etching (ALE) isotropic/anisotropic surface modification, and surface passivation chemistries targeting GAA nanosheet release, high-aspect-ratio (HAR) contact etch, and nanoscale selectivity. • Lead fundamental studies in plasma-surface interactions, surface chemistry kinetics, radical/ion flux tuning, and atomic self-limiting mechanisms. • Partner cross-functionally with software and AI control teams to integrate recipe optimization, real-time end-point detection, and predictive process drift control. • Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, RF/plasma, and software control engineers to specify chamber geometry, gas distribution, RF plasma source coupling, and thermal management for next-generation tools. • Lead process qualification of prototype tools from early cleanroom alpha/beta to customer demonstration and pilot-line release. • Translate customer device roadmaps and yield challenges into concrete process specifications, benchmark demos, and technical proposals. • Identify breakthrough surface reaction concepts and novel chamber designs; lead patent disclosures to secure AAT's intellectual property leadership. • Mentor, coach, and guide staff/senior process engineers, scientists, and lab technicians, cultivating an environment of technical rigor and rapid execution. Job Qualifications: • Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or a related engineering discipline. • 8+ years (for Ph.D.) or 12+ years (for Master's) of hands-on semiconductor process R&D experience in advanced etch (plasma etch, reactive ion etch, atomic layer etch). • Proven track record of taking novel semiconductor process formulations from R&D concept to high-volume manufacturing (HVM) or successful customer pilot lines. • Deep expertise in plasma etch physics and chemistry, self-limiting atomic layer reactions, surface characterization, and plasma diagnostics (OES, mass spectrometry, Langmuir probes). • Mastery of Design of Experiments (DOE), Statistical Process Control (SPC), statistical analysis tools (JMP, Minitab, MATLAB), and physical-chemical modeling of etch kinetics. • Highly competent in surface analysis and material characterization techniques (e.g., SEM, TEM, XPS, AFM, ellipsometry, SIMS, profilometry). • Entrepreneurial mindset: thrives in a fast-paced, low-bureaucracy startup environment where ideas turn into working hardware in days, not quarters. • Portfolio of industry patents or peer-reviewed publications in plasma processing and thin-film material science is highly preferred.