Etch Expert for Sustainable Technologies 

Background  

The manufacturing of integrated circuits (ICs) is one of the most technologically advanced industrial activities in the world, involving hundreds to thousands of tightly controlled process steps and the consumption of significant amounts of energy, water, chemicals, and raw materials. As demand for semiconductors continues to grow, the industry faces the challenge of reducing its environmental footprint while maintaining the pace of technology innovation. Semiconductor manufacturing is estimated to generate more than 250 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions annually, making it an important contributor to industrial greenhouse gas emissions. 

Among the various manufacturing processes, dry etch represents a particularly important opportunity for decarbonization. Etch processes rely on specialized fluorinated gases, such as NF₃, PFCs and SF₆, for wafer patterning and chamber cleaning. Many of these gases exhibit global warming potentials (GWP) thousands of times higher than CO₂ and can therefore contribute disproportionately to the overall environmental impact of semiconductor manufacturing. At the same time, etch tools are significant consumers of utilities and process resources, creating multiple opportunities for sustainability-driven innovation. 

The Dry Etch group is seeking a motivated Etch Expert to strengthen its sustainability and decarbonization research activities. In this role, you will forge an actionable plan to assess GWP gases consumption, build up strategy to reduce overall gas/energy consumption and enable more environmentally friendly alternative gases. 

What you will do

As an R&D Etch Expert for Sustainable Technologies, you will work at the interface between advanced semiconductor process development and environmental sustainability. Combining deep plasma etch expertise with a strong sustainability mindset, you will help imec reduce the environmental footprint of dry etch processing by assessing greenhouse gas emissions associated with etch processes, evaluating the use and impact of high-GWP gases, and developing strategies to reduce process gas and energy consumption. You will explore lower-impact alternatives for future semiconductor manufacturing technologies and, using imec's 300 mm pilot line and world-class characterization infrastructure, translate sustainability ambitions into technically sound, safe, scalable, and sustainable process solutions. In close collaboration with imec's Sustainable Semiconductor Technologies & Systems (SSTS) program and industrial partners across the semiconductor value chain, you will help transform sustainability goals into practical engineering solutions and contribute to the next generation of environmentally responsible semiconductor manufacturing. 

Your responsibilities include: 

• Build roadmaps and action plans that translate sustainability targets into practical engineering activities, milestones, and measurable progress. 
• Follow industry and university trends in low-GWP gases, abatement technologies, and plasma processing, and convert these insights into recommendations for imec’s dry etch sustainability roadmap. 
• Work closely with gas suppliers, tool suppliers, and internal engineering teams to assess the feasibility of new processes and gas solutions. 
• Define and drive experimental plans with state-of-the-art tools to evaluate more sustainable plasma process concepts for dry etch applications. 
• Coordinate the scientific, technical and operational path for introducing new processes and gases. 
• Enable and drive joint development projects with equipment and material suppliers. 
• Maintain structured follow-up of activities through regular meetings, clear communication with action tracking, timeline management. 
• Present research results at internal reviews, partner meetings, conferences, and scientific publications.

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will determine the society of tomorrow.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth. 

We are aware that your valuable contribution makes imec a top player in its field. Your energy and commitment are therefore appreciated by means of a market appropriate salary with many fringe benefits. 

Who you are

• You are strongly motivated to reduce environmental impact and eager to embrace the challenge. 
• You enjoy solving complex challenges and are motivated by innovation and technology development.  
• You hold a Master's or PhD degree in Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Microelectronics, or a related field. 
• You have experience in plasma processing, dry etch, and semiconductor manufacturing. 
• You excel at communicating and connecting with people, developing new expertise, and building strong collaborations. 
• You have excellent planning and organizational skills to deliver your research results in a timely and efficient manner. 
• You show flexibility to change between different projects according to priorities. 
• You can work without supervision and deliver quality results on schedule. 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills in English is essential.

IMEC and its affiliates will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. IMEC will consider unsolicited referrals and/or resumes submitted by vendors such as search firms, staffing agencies, professional recruiters, fee-based referral services and recruiting agencies (hereafter “Agency”) to have been referred by the Agency free of charge. IMEC will not pay a fee to any Agency that does not have a prior written agreement with IMEC, validated by its HR department, in place regarding a specific job opening and allowing to submit resumes.