Defect Engineer

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As a Defect Engineer within the Wireless Semiconductor Division (WSD) at Broadcom Inc., you will play a critical role in identifying, analyzing, and minimizing defectivity within our FBAR filter fabrication process. Utilizing inline visual inspection and physical analysis data, you will separate killer from cosmetic defects, map out defect Paretos, and provide actionable insights to the cross-functional fab team.

Your work directly minimizes yield loss and reliability failures downstream at wafer sort, assembly, test, and the end customer. In this role, you will collaborate with product development and backend assembly to characterize defects, define line partitioning and sampling strategies, and own the FBAR visual control plan.

Defect Detection & Root Cause Analysis

• Establish Technology Baselines: Utilize advanced metrology and physical analysis data (SEM, TEM, AFM, FIB) to define baseline defectivity and establish Pareto's for new and existing technologies.

• Identify Source Failures: Pinpoint offending tools, processes, or facility infrastructure driving defect excursions.

• Excursion Containment: Initiate corrective actions (PDCA, 8D), place underperforming tools down, and issue material containment for non-conforming or out-of-control (OOC) material.

• Lab Characterization: Partner with the Physical Analysis Lab (PAL) and bench testing teams to submit jobs and successfully characterize unique defect signatures.

• Process Improvement: Partner with integration and process engineers to improve defect performance and identify new defects on emerging process nodes.

Controls, Strategy & Line Monitoring

• Own the Visual Control Plan: Define line partitioning, monitoring, and sampling strategies using Klarity and Statistical Process Control (SPC) to maintain stringent fab defect controls.

• Author OCAPs: Write and maintain Out-of-Control Action Plans (OCAPs) to establish standard operational responses to defect shifts.

• Material Disposition: Act as the primary engineering escalation point to disposition OOC material that falls beyond the scope of engineering technicians. Identify and characterize novel defect modes through detect, contain, eliminate procedure.

Team Leadership & Culture

• Lead Task Forces: Facilitate and lead cross-functional engineering teams investigating complex trend shifts and high-volume defectivity issues. Lead model building activities to hypothesize and validate root causes of defectivity.

• Train and Mentor: Train operations staff on material disposition and mentor engineering technicians in advanced defect identification and characterization techniques.

• Quality First Mindset: Actively drive a low-defect, "quality before speed and cost" culture across the entire fab footprint.

• Education: BS in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, or a related engineering field.

• Experience: 8+ years of experience in high-volume wafer fabrication, specifically within process engineering, defect engineering, or yield enhancement.

• Technical Expertise:

  • Strong working knowledge of multiple semiconductor fabrication process modules (e.g., photo, etch, deposition, CMP, test).

  • Direct expertise with Klarity defect analysis software and Statistical Process Control (SPC).

  • Advanced proficiency using JMP for statistical data analysis and engineering problem-solving.

• Leadership & Drive: Proven track record of independently facilitating cross-functional teams to resolve highly complex manufacturing problems.

• Communication: Demonstrated ability to communicate technical data clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing, to audiences ranging from cleanroom operators to fab executives.

• Soft Skills: Detail-oriented multitasker with strong self-awareness—knows when and who to ask for cross-functional help.

•  Education: MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, or a related field.

• Experience: 12+ years of experience in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing.

• Advanced Material Analytics: Direct hands-on tracking and root-cause identification using physical analysis lab (PAL) tool outputs (SEM, TEM, AFM, FIB).

• Data Automation & Programming:

  • Proficiency in programming languages (e.g., Python, SQL) to query large defect databases, automate reporting, and execute trend analysis.

  • Experience with Python data structures (Pandas/NumPy), spatial math, geometric logic, and parsing raw file formats (such as .klarf files).

• Data Visualization: Experience developing automated Spotfire data links and interactive dashboards optimized for a production wafer manufacturing environment.

• Advanced Automation & AI: Practical experience with defect data automation, automatic defect detection/classification (ADC) software, or implementing AI models for wafer map pattern recognition. 

• Strict adherence to cleanroom protocols, contamination controls, and fab safety standards.

Additional Job Description:

Compensation and Benefits

The annual base salary range for this position is $109,700 - $175,500.

This position is also eligible for a discretionary annual bonus in accordance with relevant plan documents, and equity in accordance with equity plan documents and equity award agreements.

Broadcom offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package: Medical, dental and vision plans, 401(K) participation including company matching, Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), company paid holidays, paid sick leave and vacation time. The company follows all applicable laws for Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence.

Broadcom is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  We will consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability status, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  We will also consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records consistent with local law.

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