Staff Process Engineer – Backside Processing, CMP & Thermal

At Nokia Optical Networks , advanced photonic technologies become scalable products powering the world's communication infrastructure. Our team develops and manufactures cutting-edge Indium Phosphide (InP) Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) , enabling coherent optics, high-speed transceivers, tunable lasers, optical amplifiers, and next-generation networking solutions.

As a Staff Process Engineer – Backside Processing, CMP & Thermal , you will lead the development, optimization, qualification, and sustainment of wafer thinning, backside processing, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), and thermal processing technologies critical to advanced photonic device manufacturing. You will work hands-on with process equipment, consumables, materials, and metrology systems while collaborating with device, integration, lithography, etch, thin film, reliability, and manufacturing teams to develop robust, manufacturable process solutions.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong technical leadership, a high degree of ownership, enthusiasm for manufacturing excellence, and the ability to provide fast, effective support for a 24x7 production operation.

- M.S. or Ph.D. in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
- B.S. degree with 5+ years of semiconductor, photonics, or advanced manufacturing experience will also be considered.
- Strong experience in wafer thinning, backside processing, CMP, thermal processing, and related semiconductor manufacturing technologies.
- Experience with semiconductor process development, integration, yield improvement, and production support.
- Working knowledge of polishing systems, grinding equipment, furnace systems, RTP tools, process control methodologies, and materials characterization techniques.
- Demonstrated experience using DOE, SPC, JMP, statistical analysis, and data-driven problem solving.
- Strong ownership mindset with demonstrated ability to drive projects independently and deliver measurable business impact.
- Excellent troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills.
- Ability to prioritize effectively and respond quickly to manufacturing challenges.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills in cross-functional technical environments.
- Familiarity with AI-enabled engineering tools and modern data analytics methods.

Preferred Qualifications

- Hands-on experience with wafer grinding, lapping, CMP, polishing, substrate thinning, furnace processing, RTP, annealing, and wafer handling technologies.
- Experience processing InP, GaAs, silicon photonics, III-V semiconductors, and advanced optoelectronic devices.
- Understanding of wafer mechanics, stress management, breakage reduction, thermal budget control, and backside process integration.
- Experience optimizing CMP consumables including slurries, polishing pads, conditioners, and endpoint methodologies.
- Experience with process characterization techniques including profilometry, interferometry, surface roughness measurement, SEM analysis, thickness metrology, bow/warp measurement, and defect inspection.
- Experience with high-volume manufacturing support, process transfer, and factory ramp activities.
- Experience collaborating with equipment suppliers and technology partners on process development initiatives.
- Passion for manufacturing excellence and continuous improvement.
- Proven success balancing long-term technology development objectives with urgent production support requirements.
- Strong sense of urgency, accountability, and commitment to supporting production and customer requirements.