Senior Process Engineer – Inspection and Optical Characterization

Coherent is a global leader in photonics, developing advanced laser, optical and materials technologies that enable semiconductor manufacturing, AI infrastructure, advanced communications and precision industrial applications worldwide.

Senior Process Engineer – Inspection & Optical Characterization

Join Coherent’s Semiconductor Devices Division as a Senior Process Engineer focused on Inspection & Optical Characterization. In this highly visible role, you will serve as the technical expert for optical inspection, microscopy, and process characterization within a fast-paced manufacturing environment. You'll drive yield improvement, defect reduction, and process control through advanced inspection strategies, data-driven decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration.

This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of optical inspection within the organization, with a clear pathway to grow into a leadership role as the function expands.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Own the inspection strategy for assigned manufacturing processes, defining inspection methods, sampling plans, and acceptance criteria to ensure robust process control.
• Develop, qualify, and optimize automated optical inspection (AOI) processes that effectively detect and classify defects while balancing throughput and false-call rates.
• Develop and implement optical characterization methods, including microscopy and image-based measurement techniques, to support process monitoring and product qualification.
• Analyze inspection and production data to identify trends, process excursions, yield loss mechanisms, and improvement opportunities.
• Apply statistical process control (SPC), measurement system analysis (MSA), and design of experiments (DOE) methodologies to improve process capability and manufacturing performance.
• Introduce, qualify, and support new inspection and characterization equipment, including specification, acceptance testing, recipe development, and production release.
• Act as the technical owner for inspection systems, supporting calibration, maintenance strategies, troubleshooting, and long-term performance monitoring.
• Partner with process, product, equipment, quality, and manufacturing teams to drive yield improvement and scrap reduction initiatives.
• Establish and maintain defect classification standards, inspection specifications, documentation, control plans, and FMEAs.
• Mentor engineers and technicians while helping build technical capability and best practices across the organization.
• Support new product introductions and provide technical expertise on inspection and characterization topics.

What You’ll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Materials Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Proven experience as a Process Engineer within semiconductor manufacturing, including wafer fabrication, assembly, or packaging environments.
• Deep expertise in automated optical inspection (AOI), including recipe development, defect classification, process optimization, and false-call reduction.
• Strong hands-on experience with optical microscopy techniques such as brightfield, darkfield, DIC, confocal microscopy, and other optical characterization methods.
• Experience with inspection standards, defect coding systems, sampling strategies, and production quality control methodologies.
• Strong understanding of statistical process control (SPC), process capability analysis (Cp/Cpk), measurement system analysis (MSA), and design of experiments (DOE).
• Experience qualifying manufacturing equipment and inspection processes from installation through production release.
• Proficiency in data analysis tools such as JMP, Minitab, Python, or MATLAB.
• Strong SQL skills and experience working with manufacturing, process, and inspection databases.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a track record of leading technical investigations to successful resolution.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to present technical information effectively to diverse stakeholder groups.
• Fluency in English and German.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with compound semiconductor or photonic device manufacturing, including technologies such as GaAs, InP, SiC, or GaN.
• Experience applying machine learning, automated image analysis, or advanced defect classification techniques within production environments.
• Knowledge of inline metrology, virtual metrology, and automated manufacturing data pipelines.
• Familiarity with semiconductor characterization techniques such as SEM, AFM, profilometry, EDX, or related methods.
• Experience leading technical teams, mentoring engineers, or developing inspection organizations.
• Understanding of cleanroom operations, contamination control, and ESD best practices.

Why Join Us?

• Become the technical authority for inspection and optical characterization within a growing semiconductor manufacturing organization.
• Drive high-impact improvements in product quality, process capability, yield, and manufacturing performance.
• Work with advanced inspection technologies, microscopy systems, and state-of-the-art manufacturing processes.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and product development.
• Play a key role in shaping the future direction of the inspection organization, with a clear opportunity to grow into a leadership position.
• Join a culture focused on innovation, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.

What We Offer

Our benefits vary by country and role. Depending on your location, your package may include:

• Competitive base salary and annual incentive eligibility
• Employer-supported pension or retirement provision
• Health, wellbeing and employee-assistance programmes
• Life and income-protection benefits
• Flexible-working arrangements, where compatible with the role
• Learning and professional-development opportunities
• Employee recognition and share programmes

Our ICARE Values

How we work is just as important as what we achieve. Everyone at Coherent is expected to demonstrate our ICARE values:

🤝 Integrity – Create an environment of trust

✨ Collaboration – Innovate through the sharing of ideas

🎯 Accountability – Own the process and the outcome

🌍 Respect – Recognise the value in everyone

🚀 Enthusiasm – Find a sense of purpose in work

Application and Selection

Current employees who wish to apply should submit a cover letter detailing their interest in the position and how their skills and experience align with the requirements of the role.

If you require an adjustment or accessibility accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact [email protected]. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment experience and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Join us and help shape the technologies that connect, inform and transform our world.