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CLAWS Lithography Engineer

Employer
NC State University
Location
Raleigh, NC
View more categoriesView less categories
Employment Type
Full Time
Institution Type
Four-Year Institution

Job Details

Posting Number:

PG194452EP

Internal Recruitment :

No

Working Title:

CLAWS Lithography Engineer

Anticipated Hiring Range:

Commensurate with Education and Experience (up to $110,000)

Work Schedule:

Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm

Job Location:

Raleigh, NC

Department :

Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors (CLAWS)

About the Department:

North Carolina State University is leading the charge as the recipient of a >$78 million award from the Department of Defense to establish the regional Microelectronics Commons regional innovation hub, Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors (CLAWS). This initiative, part of the larger $2B investment through the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act, aims to revolutionize the field of wide bandgap semiconductors.

Hub leadership, Distinguished Professors John Muth and Fred Kish, are dedicated to the “lab to fab” journey—translating laboratory advancements into fabrication capabilities for wide bandgap semiconductors. The hub brings together a dynamic partnership with N.C. A&T State University and industry leaders, including MACOM, Coherent Corp., General Electric, Bluglass, Adroit Materials, and Kyma Technologies, Inc. This collaborative effort will propel the development of semiconductors crucial for national defense, electric vehicles, power grid technologies, 5G/6G, quantum technologies, and artificial intelligence applications.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits:

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.
What we offer:

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Essential Job Duties:

We are seeking a highly-skilled lithography engineer to join our team and contribute to the ownership for NNF’s suite of lithography capabilities. The ideal candidate will have deep, hands-on experience in all lithographic processes; including contact lithography tools, stepper/projection lithography tools, automated wafer coat/develop stations, and e-beam/laser direct-write systems.

Process Research & Development

  • Advanced Development: Lead the design and optimization of cutting-edge photolithography processes tailored for next-generation applications, specifically targeting wide-bandgap devices for RF, power electronics, and photonics.
  • Technical Consultation: Provide expert-level process integration support to internal and external users, translating complex device requirements into repeatable lithographic workflows.
  • Service Excellence: Execute high-precision service work for external customers, ensuring all deliverables meet rigorous industry standards for semiconductor fabrication.
Equipment Engineering & Maintenance
  • Serve as the primary technical lead for lithography toolsets, ensuring maximum uptime and process stability through regular baseline monitoring.
  • Maintenance & Repair: Independently perform scheduled preventative maintenance and diagnose/repair unscheduled hardware failures to minimize facility downtime.
  • Vendor Management: Manage relationships with equipment manufacturers; coordinate complex service visits, manage service contracts, and oversee major tool overhauls.
User Training & Technical Communication
  • Develop and deliver comprehensive training programs for students and researchers, certifying users on tool operation, chemical safety, and lithographic theory.
  • Act as the central communication hub for the lithography area, providing timely updates to management and users regarding tool status, process drifts, or facility interruptions.
Facility Operations & Compliance
  • Actively participate in facility safety audits and uphold strict cleanroom protocols to ensure a safe working environment for all personnel.
  • Maintain meticulous records including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), maintenance logs, user databases, and training certifications.
  • Oversee the lithography supply chain, managing the inventory of specialized chemicals, resists, and critical spare parts to ensure uninterrupted lab operations.

Other Responsibilities:

  • Performing all necessary day-to-day tasks required to operate a multi-user facility such as ordering and maintaining consumables inventory, contributing to housecleaning/lab organization, maintaining lab-level documentation, etc.
  • Contributing to technical discussions with users and staff.
  • Working with/mentoring student staff.
  • Working with fellow NNF staff members in other semiconductor fabrication technologies (etch, deposition, metrology, etc.).

Minimum Education and Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering discipline
  • Five or more years of experience working as a lithography engineer in a university, government, or industry laboratory

Other Required Qualifications:

  • Excellent hands-on skill with troubleshooting and repairing lab equipment
  • Ability to work and communicate effectively with all levels of personnel, including students
  • Must be able to work independently as well as make positive team contributions
  • Familiarity with environmental health and safety protocols
  • Must be comfortable working safely with chemicals and compressed gases
  • Eligibility to obtain clearance upon request of the US government

Preferred Qualifications:

  • M.S. or Ph.D. in Science or Engineering discipline
  • Ten years of experience working as a lithography engineer in a university, government, or industry laboratory
  • Experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems
  • Experience with electron beam lithography
  • Two or more years working in an R1 University setting

Required License(s) or Certification(s):

  • N/A

Valid NC Driver's License required:

No

Commercial Driver's License required:

No

Job Open Date:

02/05/2026

Anticipated Close Date:

Open Until Filled

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Please include as attachments a resume/CV, cover letter, and contact information for at least 3 professional references.

Position Number:

00111842

Position Type:

EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week):

1.0

Appointment:

12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather:

Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events:

Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID:

140110 - CLAWS

EEO:

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Organization

NC State: Think and Do

NC State was founded with a purpose: to create economic, societal and intellectual prosperity for the people of North Carolina and the country. We began as a land-grant institution teaching the agricultural and mechanical arts. Today, we're a pre-eminent research enterprise with 12 colleges excelling in all major academic fields.

NC State studentsOur 34,000 high-performing students take what they learn in the classroom and apply it in the real world by conducting research, working in internships and co-ops, and performing acts of world-changing service. That experiential education ensures that they leave here ready to lead the workforce. NC State's 13:1 student-faculty ratio is one of the reasons why we're the best college for your money in North Carolina (Money) and the No. 5 best value among public universities nationally (U.S. News & World Report).

Overcoming Challenges, Improving Lives

NC State is one of only two universities in the nation leading two National Science Foundation Engineering Research Centers — one developing wearable, self-powered health monitors, and the other researching smart-grid technology. We’re also leading interdisciplinary efforts to curb nuclear proliferation, help farmers confront climate change and build a new American manufacturing sector.

Our research doesn't just get published in a journal or sit on a shelf; it makes an impact. NC State is No. 6 nationwide in commercialization agreements based on university research, and we're No. 2 among universities without a medical school. Our Cooperative Extension Service provides research-based information to citizens in all 100 North Carolina counties. In addition, our industrial extension unit — Industry Expansion Solutions — has created an economic benefit for the state's manufacturers averaging $149 million per year since 2005.

Bright Minds Creating a Bold Future

NC State’s 9,000 faculty and staff are world leaders in their fields, bridging the divides between academic disciplines and training high-caliber students to meet tomorrow’s challenges. NC State students won two Goldwater scholarships, five Fulbright scholarships, one Churchill scholarship and a record-breaking 25 National Science Foundation graduate research fellowships in the 2016-2017 academic year. In addition, 25 faculty are members of the National Academies.

NC State bldg in darkOur Centennial Campus, an award-winning public-private research campus, is home to more than 70 partner organizations working alongside more than 70 NC State research and academic units. Centennial is also the location of the innovative Hunt Library, which Time magazine has dubbed “the library of the future.”

In Raleigh and Around the World

It all happens in one of the best cities in America. A top spot for job-seekers and tech professionals, Raleigh is nationally recognized as a leading urban center:

NC State building oldWith Durham and Chapel Hill, Raleigh anchors the Research Triangle, a national hotspot for high-tech enterprise. The top companies in the region — including IBM, Cisco Systems, SAS Institute, Biogen Idec and GlaxoSmithKline — are among the country’s best employers. They also lead the way in hiring new NC State graduates.

More than 130 years after its creation, NC State continues to make its founding purpose a reality. Every day, our career-ready graduates and world-leading faculty make the fruits of learning and discovery available to people across the state, throughout the nation and around the world.

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