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Atum Works · 1 day ago

Senior/Principal R&D Engineer - Electrochemistry

Mountain View, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$160K/yr - $250K/yr

6+ years exp

Atum Works is a well-funded startup focused on scalable 3D lithography foundry technology. They are seeking a Senior or Principal R&D Process Engineer to lead the development of next-generation electrochemical and materials deposition technologies, with responsibilities including technical leadership, novel process invention, and mentorship of junior engineers.

3D TechnologyManufacturingNanotechnologyTest and Measurement

Responsibilities

Define the technical vision and research roadmap for novel electrochemical deposition and patterning processes, aligning near-term experiments with long-term platform scalability

Serve as the internal subject matter expert on electroplating and wet-chemical deposition mechanisms, interface chemistry, and advanced materials interactions

Architect, design, and direct complex R&D programs for new plating and wet-chemical deposition processes targeting unique structures, geometries, and device requirements

Develop next-generation chemistries and deposition pathways enabled by advanced resist and surface-patterning materials

Lead deep mechanistic investigations using electrochemical methods, analytical chemistry, and advanced metrology to uncover rate-limiting steps, interfacial behaviors, and material-property relationships

Apply modeling, simulation, or first-principles reasoning to inform design of experiments and accelerate optimization

Develop high-performance surface preparation, activation, and modification strategies to improve adhesion, nucleation behavior, uniformity, and defectivity

Collaborate closely with chemical suppliers and internal chemistry and tooling teams to co-develop tailored bath chemistries, additives, inhibitors, and stabilizers

Guide development of prototype reactors, small-scale tooling, and custom test structures to improve process control, throughput, and reproducibility

Drive significant contributions to the company's IP portfolio, including new chemistries, deposition methods, bath designs, patterning materials, and integrated process flows

Define scalability criteria, analyze manufacturability risks, and translate R&D innovations into robust, statistically controlled processes suitable for high-volume manufacturing

Establish rigorous DOE frameworks, process control plans, and documentation packages for transfer to operations and partner fabs

Mentor junior engineers and scientists, elevating team technical capabilities

Act as a key technical interface to device engineers, materials scientists, metrology teams, and external partners

Qualification

Electrochemical ExpertiseIntegrated Materials KnowledgeTechnical LeadershipProcess DevelopmentStatistical ModelingMentorshipCollaborationProblem Solving

Required

Education: Ph.D. preferred, or M.S. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrochemistry, Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry, or a related field

Experience: 6 to 10 years of hands-on R&D experience for Ph.D. holders, or 10 or more years for M.S. holders, in electroplating, wet-chemical deposition, or related electrochemical processes within semiconductor, microfabrication, advanced materials, or adjacent industries such as batteries or sensors

Electrochemical Expertise: Demonstrated mastery of electrochemical fundamentals, kinetics, interface behavior, bath stability, additive dynamics, and process control

Integrated Materials Knowledge: Deep experience managing interactions at the chemistry, substrate, and resist interface, including polymer behavior, surface energetics, and materials compatibility

Technical Leadership: Proven ability to define research strategy, lead complex R&D programs, mentor technical teams, and deliver innovations with clear paths to manufacturing

Preferred

Experience in process development for semiconductor packaging, BEOL, or microfabrication

Familiarity with industrial plating tools including rack plating, fountain plating, PCB plating, or wafer-level plating, and with custom electrochemical reactors

Experience with SPC, JMP or Minitab, statistical modeling, or data-driven process optimization

Exposure to interface modeling, impedance spectroscopy, finite-element simulation, or mechanistic modeling of electrochemical systems