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Precision Micro-Drilling - Process Engineer Responsibilities Develop, optimize, and validate precision micro-drilling and micro-hole formation processes for metal, metalized substrates, PCB/substrate materials, packaging structures, and semiconductor-related components. Support laser drilling, micro-CNC drilling, micro-machining, EDM, fast-hole EDM, mechanical drilling, controlled-depth drilling, via formation, and related advanced hole-making processes as applicable to assigned projects. Develop process windows for small-hole formation, including parameters related to hole diameter, depth, taper, aspect ratio, wall quality, burr control, recast control, heat-affected zone, debris removal, cleanliness, registration, repeatability, and downstream compatibility. Select and evaluate tooling, electrodes, nozzles, optics, drills, fixtures, assist gases, consumables, workholding, material handling methods, and inspection methods needed for precision micro-drilling processes. Design or support fixtures, holders, alignment aids, coupons, test structures, and shop aids needed to produce repeatable micro-hole features and protect delicate materials during processing. Develop and execute structured experiments, DOE activities, feasibility trials, parameter studies, process capability studies, and prototype builds. Analyze process results using inspection, metrology, microscopy, electrical testing, dimensional measurement, cross-section review, or other characterization methods. Collaborate with engineering, PCB/substrate manufacturing, mOSAT, cleanroom, R&D, quality, procurement, vendors, and customer-facing teams to support process development, build readiness, and customer deliverables. Review customer specifications, drawings, design files, hole requirements, tolerance requirements, material requirements, inspection criteria, and deliverable expectations to support accurate execution. Support customer product deliverables by completing assigned technical outputs, process trials, prototype work, inspection records, test results, documentation packages, build records, and project milestones in accordance with agreed timelines, customer specifications, quality expectations, technical requirements, and internal review standards. Create, maintain, and update process documentation, including equipment recipes, setup sheets, travelers, SOPs, inspection criteria, test coupons, parameter logs, process notes, data summaries, and engineering reports. Support equipment selection, vendor engagement, installation, commissioning, acceptance testing, calibration readiness, preventive maintenance planning, and equipment improvement activities. Troubleshoot process issues related to hole quality, dimensional variation, registration error, tool wear, electrode wear, thermal damage, burrs, residue, incomplete drilling, delamination, plating compatibility, debris, yield loss, or equipment instability. Lead or support root cause analysis and corrective action for nonconforming features, failed builds, process drift, equipment issues, material issues, or customer-impacting quality concerns. Support design for manufacturability by reviewing hole patterns, material stacks, tolerances, spacing, feature density, alignment requirements, plating requirements, and inspection feasibility. Work with quality and engineering teams to define acceptance criteria, inspection plans, process controls, sampling methods, and documentation standards for precision micro-drilling work. Support process scale-up from R&D trials to repeatable prototype manufacturing or low-volume production workflows. Communicate technical risks, schedule impacts, equipment constraints, material concerns, inspection gaps, or customer-impacting issues in a timely manner. Maintain safe laboratory, cleanroom, equipment, and advanced manufacturing practices, including documentation, PPE, ESD controls, chemical handling, laser safety, machine safety, and customer confidentiality requirements. Minimum Qualifications Master's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Semiconductor Engineering, Microelectronics Engineering, Applied Physics, or a directly related technical engineering or physical science discipline. 3+ years of hands-on experience in precision machining, micro-machining, laser processing, EDM, micro-drilling, semiconductor packaging, PCB/substrate manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, process development, or related technical engineering work. Experience developing, optimizing, validating, or troubleshooting manufacturing processes involving small features, tight tolerances, metal processing, advanced materials, substrates, packaging structures, or precision components. Experience applying engineering judgment to process development, parameter selection, tooling or consumable selection, fixture design, process validation, technical troubleshooting, or documentation. Experience using or supporting precision equipment such as CNC machines, micro-drilling systems, laser processing systems, EDM systems, metrology tools, microscopes, profilometers, CMMs, optical inspection systems, or related tools. Experience reading and interpreting engineering drawings, design files, tolerance requirements, material specifications, process documentation, customer requirements, and inspection criteria. Experience collecting, analyzing, and documenting process data, inspection results, test results, deviations, defects, corrective actions, and technical findings. Strong technical writing skills, including the ability to prepare process notes, equipment recipes, setup sheets, SOPs, engineering reports, data summaries, and customer-facing technical documentation. Ability to support customer product deliverables with accuracy, schedule awareness, documentation discipline, technical judgment, specification alignment, and timely escalation of risks. Ability to work on-site in a hands-on engineering, advanced manufacturing, laboratory, cleanroom, prototype manufacturing, and advanced electronics environment. Desired Qualifications Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Semiconductor Engineering, Microelectronics Engineering, Applied Physics, or a directly related technical engineering or physical science discipline. Experience with laser drilling, UV laser processing, ultrafast laser processing, fast-hole EDM, micro-EDM, controlled-depth drilling, microvia formation, precision CNC drilling, or high-aspect-ratio small-hole manufacturing. Experience forming holes in metals, metalized substrates, copper, nickel-based alloys, stainless steel, thin metal foils, ceramic-metal structures, advanced electronic materials, or semiconductor packaging substrates. Experience with PCB/substrate manufacturing, advanced packaging, mOSAT workflows, semiconductor process development, microelectronics assembly, high-density interconnect substrates, or wafer-level packaging. Experience with metrology and inspection methods such as optical microscopy, SEM, profilometry, CMM, laser scanning, cross-section analysis, X-ray inspection, dimensional measurement, or surface roughness evaluation. Experience with DOE, SPC, process capability studies, yield improvement, failure analysis, root cause analysis, corrective action, statistical data analysis, Python, MATLAB, JMP, Excel, or similar tools. Experience with CAM programming, G-code, CNC controllers, equipment recipes, machine vision, alignment systems, fixture design, or equipment automation. Experience working with equipment vendors for process development, installation, qualification, calibration, acceptance testing, troubleshooting, or preventive maintenance. Experience supporting commercial, aerospace, defense-adjacent, government, enterprise, sponsored research, or grant-funded R&D programs. Familiarity with ISO 9001, AS9100, ITAR, export-controlled work, laser safety, machine safety, ESD controls, cleanroom protocols, chemical safety, or controlled technical environments. Required Skills and Knowledge Precision micro-drilling and micro-hole formation Laser drilling, EDM, CNC, or micro-machining process awareness Metal processing and advanced materials behavior Semiconductor packaging and PCB/substrate manufacturing awareness Process-window development and parameter optimization Tooling, electrodes, optics, nozzles, fixtures, workholding, and consumables Micron-scale inspection and metrology methods DOE, SPC, process capability, and yield improvement Root cause analysis and corrective action Technical documentation and engineering reporting Customer specification review and deliverable support Process travelers, SOPs, setup sheets, equipment recipes, and inspection criteria DFM review for hole patterns, tolerances, registration, spacing, and material stacks Equipment readiness, vendor coordination, and preventive maintenance awareness Cross-functional engineering collaboration Laboratory, cleanroom, ESD, laser safety, machine safety, and documentation discipline Schedule awareness, technical accuracy, and quality accountability

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

From $100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Relocation assistance

Education:

Master's (Required)

Experience:

hand-on CAD, Solidworks, and prototyping: 2 years (Required) micromolding, injection, compression, transfer molding: 2 years (Required) mold tool design: 2 years (Required) mold flow

FEA:

2 years (Required) liquid injection, compression, transfer molding: 2 years (Required)

Work Location:

In person