Materials Engineer Jobs in Austin, TX

Job Posting Title:

Materials Quality Engineer, Texas Institute for Electronics

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Hiring Department:

Texas Institute for Electronics

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

To Be Determined at Offer

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Earliest Start Date:

Ongoing

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

AUSTIN, TX

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Job Details:

General Notes

About Us

The Texas Institute for Electronics (TIE) is a University of Texas at Austin-supported semiconductor consortium of state and local government, pre-eminent defense electronics and semiconductor companies, national labs and nationally recognized academic institutions. Our mission is to develop and execute a state-of-the-art 3D Heterogenous Integration manufacturing technology roadmap, and to provide critical pilot manufacturing capabilities to address national security needs and catalyze domestic economic growth.

Join the Texas Institute for Electronics (TIE) and help us push the boundaries in critical semiconductor domains, including advanced packaging, with the aim of reestablishing U.S. prominence in semiconductor manufacturing.

With over $1 billion in funding from the US DoD and the state of Texas, we’re at the forefront of creating cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing equipment and processes that will set the course for future advancements in semiconductor logic, memory, heterogeneous integration, chip cooling and more. Situated in the heart of Austin — named “America’s Coolest City” by Expedia and “The Best Place to Live in the U.S.” by U.S. News and World Report — the Texas Institute for Electronics embodies the city’s innovative spirit.

UT Austin, recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Large Employers, provides outstanding employee benefits and total rewards packages that include:

• Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
• Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
• Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
• Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with 8.25% employer matching funds
• Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
• Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional conference opportunities
• Tuition assistance
• Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets
• Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card
• Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card
• For more details, please see Benefits | Human Resources and UT Austin Employee Experience | Human Resources and UT Austin Employee Experience | Human Resources

Due to the nature of the work, you must qualify as a U.S. Person as defined in 22 CFR § 120.62 to be considered for this role.

Purpose

This Materials Quality Engineer is responsible for continuous tracking of material usage for the FAB, verification of material CoA data, managing and optimizing the supplier quality efforts, correlation of material quality to final product quality, and coordination of critical semiconductor manufacturing materials for uninterrupted FAB operations.

Responsibilities

• FAB Material Procurement & Vendor Engagement: Develop a comprehensive understanding of the UT material ordering and procurement processes. Identify weaknesses and minimize the TAT for best quality material acquisition. Establish and maintain close relationships with all critical material suppliers, including bulk gases and chems, specialty gases and chem, PR, CMP materials, targets, wafers and other materials that are required for FAB operations. Work closely with vendors to obtain and maintain Certificates of Analysis (CoA) for batch-level data for incoming materials and relate that with FAB performance. Ensure vendor documentation and batch traceability are properly collected and stored in secure internal systems.
• FAB Material Data Analysis and Correlation: Create and maintain a structured database of vendor quality data linked to internal fab signals, material usage and inline process data. Perform Statistical Process Control (SPC) and data analysis to correlate material properties with various inline and end of line process performance. Identify opportunities to improve incoming material quality and process stability through data-driven insights. Support reports and dashboards that highlight material trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Analytical Laboratory Collaboration: Work with internal analytical laboratories to conduct material characterization and contamination analysis. Utilize advanced analytical techniques such as: ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry), VPD (Vapor Phase Decomposition), additional surface and chemical characterization techniques as required. Establish and maintain incoming material quality verification protocols to ensure compliance with fab specifications. Develop and implement incoming material quality (IQC) processes as need for TIE with internal or external collaboration.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Fab Engineering teams to forecast material consumption and understand process-specific material requirements. Act as a liaison between Procurement, Fab Engineering, and Vendors to ensure materials are ordered and delivered on time. Support procurement teams by providing technical guidance on material specifications, vendor performance, and quality requirements. Assist in preventing material shortages by aligning ordering schedules with forecasted production demand.
• Incoming Material Quality Improvement: Lead initiatives to improve vendor material quality and consistency. Engage directly with vendors to resolve quality issues and implement corrective actions. Publish material quality performance data internally to support continuous improvement initiatives. Work with internal teams to define and update material specifications and acceptance criteria.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related engineering discipline with at least six years of work experience in one of these fields
• Hands-on experience in semiconductor manufacturing FAB environment.
• Familiarity with various FAB departments and operational requirements.
• Experience with fab consumables and materials.
• Knowledge of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and data analysis.
• Experience with materials characterization techniques such as ICP-MS, VPD, or similar analytical methods.
• You must qualify as a U.S. Person as defined in 22 CFR § 120.62.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related engineering discipline and more than six years of work experience in one of these fields.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Data-driven problem-solving mindset.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills.

Salary Range

TIE Pays Industry Competitive Salaries

Working Conditions

• Uniforms and/or personal protection equipment (furnished)
• May work in all weather conditions
• May work in extreme temperatures
• May work around chemical fumes
• May work around standard office conditions
• May work around biohazards
• May work around chemicals
• May work around electrical and mechanical hazards
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• Use of manual dexterity (ex: using a mouse)
• Climbing of stairs

Required Materials

• Letter of Interest
• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.