Watlow · 8 hours ago
Silicone Bonding Engineer
San Jose, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Mid Level
4+ years expWatlow is a global technology and manufacturing leader providing innovative thermal products and systems. The Silicone Bonding Engineer will design and develop silicone bonding processes, collaborate with engineering teams, and lead material selection and validation efforts to ensure successful product launches.
ElectronicsManufacturing
Responsibilities
Design, develop, and characterize silicone bonding and sealing processes (e.g., adhesive bonding, primer application, self-bonding, plasma/ corona treatment)
Design and execute Design of Experiments (DOE) to optimize process parameters for strength, durability, throughput, and cost
Establish critical process parameters and control limits
Collaborate with customer engineering teams to develop semiconductor in-chamber bonding solutions
Research and develop new materials for NPD projects, considering diverse customer requirements
Identify opportunities for new materials in our current processes and lead their development
Apply lean product development tools and principles to drive efficiency and value
Perform cost analysis of designs and support market research initiatives
Evaluate and select appropriate silicone materials, adhesives, primers, and surface treatments for specific applications
Collaborate with material suppliers to test and qualify new materials and technologies
Understand the chemistry and cure kinetics of silicone adhesives (RTV, LSR, HCR) and their impact on the bonding process
Serve as the technical expert for troubleshooting bonding-related issues in both prototyping and manufacturing environments
Lead root cause analysis investigations for bond failures and implement effective corrective and preventive actions
Address challenges related to contamination, surface energy, and environmental stress
Develop and execute process validation protocols for new or modified bonding processes
Create and maintain comprehensive documentation, including work instructions, standard operating procedures, engineering reports, and technical specifications
Work closely with Design Engineers, Product Development, Quality Assurance, and Production teams to ensure design for manufacturability and successful product launches
Provide technical guidance and training to production technicians and operators
Develop test methods to characterize bond strength, durability and mechanical properties (e.g., lap shear, tensile, peel, thermal conductivity, electrical properties…)
Analyze bond failure modes using various techniques including use of outside labs (e.g., ICP-MS, SEM-EDS, FTIR) to understand failure mechanisms
Understand customer needs and design/research new materials and processes to meet them
Define product architecture and test requirements, specifying comprehensive test plans
Manage agency certifications for new products (UL, CE, CSA, VDE, etc.)
Evaluate competitive products and propose new/alternative designs for our customers
Conduct technical peer reviews and approve analyses of failed or returned materials
Define disposition criteria for non-conforming products and qualify new suppliers
Develop and improve supplier and subcontractor relationships
Provide training to sales personnel on product applications
Coach and mentor less experienced engineers, fostering knowledge sharing and professional growth
Lead major and minor projects, defining scope, objectives, and timelines
Utilize advanced systematic and creative problem-solving tools to address complex challenges
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Material Science Engineer, Polymer Chemistry or other related engineer degree with 4 or more years of experience working in NPD/NPI
Experience with automation of dispensing, coating, or bonding processes
Hands-on experience with Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) and High Consistency Rubber (HCR) processing
Preferred
Experience working in the semiconductor industry
Benefits
Annual Incentive Program
401(k) plan that includes a company match on your contribution and an annual company contribution that is tied to company performance
Wellness incentives
Employee Personal Assistance Program
Dental, medical, vision and short-term and long-term disability insurance
Paid holidays, personal time, and vacation
Parental leave
Tuition reimbursement
Company
Watlow
Watlow is a custom designer and manufacturer of industrial electric heaters, sensors and controllers.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Watlow has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2024 (1)
2023 (1)
2021 (2)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
unknown2021-03-02Acquired
Leadership Team
Rob Gilmore
Chief Executive Officer
Ashish Bhatnagar
CTO
Recent News
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