Deposition & Etch Team Leader – Semiconductor Manufacturing

Location: United Kingdom
Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Deposition & Etch Team Leader to lead semiconductor process engineering operations within a high-specification cleanroom environment.

This is a hands-on technical leadership role combining people management, process development and optimisation, equipment qualification, and continuous improvement. You will lead a multidisciplinary team of engineers and technicians, ensuring stable, high-quality process performance while supporting manufacturing objectives, yield improvement and technology development.

The ideal candidate will bring strong expertise in III-V semiconductor materials, deposition and etch processes, alongside proven experience leading technical teams in a semiconductor fabrication environment.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor and develop a team of process engineers, technicians and cleanroom associates.

• Establish and monitor KPIs, project milestones and performance objectives.

• Manage technical training, skills development and team capability planning.

• Foster a collaborative, quality-focused and safety-conscious working environment.

Technical Process Engineering

• Oversee process development, optimisation and baseline stability for semiconductor deposition and etch modules.

• Direct process recipe development, troubleshooting and failure analysis.

• Work with technologies including RIE, ICP-RIE, PECVD and ALD.

• Support the installation, commissioning, qualification and integration of new equipment and process technologies.

• Develop and maintain process documentation, standard operating procedures and best practices.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Drive process stability, yield improvement and operational efficiency.

• Apply Design of Experiments (DoE), Statistical Process Control (SPC), Measurement System Analysis (MSA) and Gauge R&R.

• Lead structured root cause investigations using methodologies such as 8D and FMEA.

• Ensure compliance with cleanroom safety standards, change control procedures and quality systems.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with process integration, module engineering, manufacturing and quality teams.

• Align cell capabilities with production targets, customer requirements and technology roadmaps.

• Support the reliable transfer, scaling and standardisation of semiconductor processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD in Materials Science, Physics, Semiconductor Technology, Engineering or a related discipline.

• At least 5 years of semiconductor process engineering experience in a high-specification cleanroom.

• At least 3 years of technical leadership or team mentoring experience, including KPI management and skills development.

• Strong knowledge of III-V semiconductor materials, particularly InP, GaAs and/or GaN.

• Hands-on experience with semiconductor etch and deposition processes, including RIE, ICP-RIE, PECVD and ALD.

• Experience using SEM and FIB-SEM for process characterisation and failure analysis.

• Proven track record in process development, optimisation, transfer and equipment qualification or commissioning.

• Knowledge of DoE, SPC, MSA/Gauge R&R and quality methodologies, including 8D, FMEA, QCP and OCAP.

• Strong analytical, communication, problem-solving and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Important: Candidates must already possess the legal right to work in the United Kingdom.

The Opportunity

An opportunity to combine hands-on semiconductor process expertise with technical team leadership, driving process stability, yield improvement and the development of advanced III-V semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Sindi Ngubane