Group Leader – End of Line

Job/Position Summary

The Group Leader – End of Line is responsible for leading development, optimization, qualification, and manufacturing support activities for ball attach in strip and singulated unit formats, reflow, cleaning, thermal interface material dispensing and lid attach, strip saw singulation, laser marking, automated visual and X-ray inspection, and bake and dry pack processes used in advanced semiconductor assembly. The role focuses on achieving robust end of line performance with emphasis on solder ball integrity and coplanarity, lid bond quality, singulation quality, inspection effectiveness, defect reduction, and high manufacturing yield.

This position plays a key leadership role in establishing a qualified and scalable end of line module for flip chip BGA, fcCSP, and wbCSP product families, and holds the final quality gate before shipment. The role carries combined process and equipment ownership for the module, covering process window definition, tool qualification, equipment capability, and module yield, while managing cross-functional engineering activities, building and developing the module engineering and technician team, and driving continuous process improvements.

Primary Responsibilities

- Lead development, optimization, and qualification of ball attach in strip and singulated unit formats, reflow, cleaning, thermal interface material dispensing and lid attach, strip saw singulation, laser marking, automated visual and X-ray inspection, and bake and dry pack processes for flip chip BGA, fcCSP, and wbCSP product families.

- Build and develop the end of line team, including onboarding of entry level engineers and technicians, structured on-the-job training, skill and certification matrices, and progression planning toward independent multi-tool ownership.

- Mentor and coach entry level process engineers and technicians on end of line fundamentals, recipe structure, data-driven troubleshooting, and safe equipment handling, while driving technical excellence, process discipline, and continuous learning within the end of line group.

- Define and control critical process parameters including flux print thickness and dip depth, ball placement accuracy, reflow profile and nitrogen concentration, cleaning conditions, thermal interface material and adhesive dispense pattern and volume, bond line thickness, lid placement and tilt, clamp and cure conditions, blade selection and dressing, spindle speed, feed rate, cut depth, coolant conditions, jig and vacuum chuck configuration, laser marking parameters, and bake temperature and duration.

- Own and improve end of line process performance with focus on solder ball integrity, ball coplanarity, lid bond line and void control, singulation edge quality, inspection escape and false call rates, and process robustness.

- Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for defects including missing and double balls, solder ball voids, ball shear and coplanarity excursions, bridging, thermal interface material voids, lid tilt and adhesive bleed, burrs, chipping, substrate delamination, copper smear, solder mask damage, mark damage, and unit dimensional variation.

- Own the end of line quality gate including lot acceptance criteria, sampling plans, moisture sensitivity level classification, bake and dry pack requirements, packing and labeling controls, and the outgoing quality data package.

- Drive process qualification, DOE execution, process characterization, and recipe optimization for new tools, solder ball alloys and sizes, fluxes, thermal interface materials and lid adhesives, singulation blades and jigs, and product introductions.

- Establish automated visual and X-ray inspection strategy, including recipe development, accept criteria, escape and false call rate monitoring, and correlation of inspection calls to cross-section analysis.

- Collaborate closely with wire bond and mold, package design, quality, reliability, materials, and logistics teams to ensure process compatibility, defect control, packing and shipping readiness, and stable manufacturing performance.

- Support pilot line and high-volume manufacturing ramp activities with emphasis on yield improvement, throughput enhancement, cycle time reduction, and process stability.

- Develop and maintain SOPs, process specifications, OCAPs, control plans, and process documentation for manufacturing operations.

- Develop training material, qualification checklists, and certification criteria for each tool and unit process in the module, and certify engineers and technicians against those criteria before independent operation and shift coverage.

- Own equipment process qualification activities including SAT, IQ/OQ/PQ, process acceptance, and production release for ball attach systems in strip and singulated unit formats, reflow ovens, cleaning systems, lid attach lines, strip saws and singulation handlers, laser markers, automated visual inspection systems, automated X-ray inspection systems, and bake and dry pack stations.

- Drive preventive maintenance optimization, spare parts strategy, calibration, and equipment health monitoring in collaboration with the maintenance organization to improve MTBF and reduce MTTR.

- Lead troubleshooting and recovery of end of line equipment issues related to flux print and ball drop heads, ball reservoirs and vacuum systems, dispense pumps and needles, lid pick heads and clamping mechanisms, saw spindles, chucks and jigs, coolant and DI water delivery systems, vision systems, X-ray sources and detectors, and sealing and desiccant handling stations to minimize production downtime.

Requirements

- Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field required.

- More than 10 years of experience in ball attach, lid attach, singulation, inspection, and packing processes within semiconductor assembly, OSAT, or advanced packaging operations, with demonstrated ownership of multiple tool types, including participation in at least one new line installation, qualification, or capacity ramp.

- Demonstrated experience training and developing entry level engineers and technicians in a multi-tool production environment required.

- Willing to relocate to Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

- Strong understanding of solder ball metallurgy and coplanarity requirements, thermal interface material and lid adhesive behavior, substrate construction and its response to singulation, inspection system capability, and J-STD-020 moisture sensitivity classification and dry pack requirements.

- Experience with SPC, DOE, FMEA, process characterization, yield analysis, and advanced troubleshooting methodologies.

- Strong hands-on experience with ball attach platforms, lid attach platforms, strip saws and singulation handlers, and automated visual and X-ray inspection systems.

- Experience with both strip and singulated unit process flows, large body lidded flip chip BGA packages, and outgoing quality gate ownership is highly preferred.

- Proven capability to build, train, and develop entry level engineers and technicians, including onboarding, structured on-the-job training, skill certification, competency assessment, and progression planning.

- Prior leadership experience managing engineers, technicians, and cross-functional project teams in a production or ramp environment is required.

Physical/Working Requirements

- Must be able to wear personal protective gear most of the day (where applicable).

- Prolonged periods of sitting or standing.

Behavioral Traits

- Strong verbal and written communication skills to convey quality standards, expectations, and feedback clearly to team members and stakeholders.

- A willingness to adjust to changing circumstances, processes, or technologies for continuous improvement in dynamic environments.

- The ability to work well with others, fostering a cooperative atmosphere, driving data management initiatives, and engaging all levels of the organization.