imec Seeks a Process Engineer Defectivity in Leuven

imec is seeking a Process Engineer Defectivity for its Leuven (Flemish Brabant), Belgium site. The vacancy is suited to an engineer with a Master’s degree in Science or Engineering, or equivalent experience, who brings strong engineering judgement to defectivity work. It calls for a data-led, organised and autonomous approach, close attention to detail, high quality standards, fluent English, and clear technical communication.

Based in the Defect Inspection Engineer team within the Inspection and Metrology Characterization group, the Process Engineer Defectivity supports process and tool work in a continuously operating fab. Daily activity includes qualification, stability monitoring, investigation of escalated defectivity matters, recipe work and statistical analysis. Candidates who can document their work, share knowledge with colleagues and collaborate across technical disciplines will match the stated requirements.

Opportunity Details

Overview of the Vacancy

Location, Sector, and Role Context

The Process Engineer Defectivity role is part of the Defect Inspection Engineer (DIE) team in the Inspection and Metrology Characterization (IMC) group at imec’s Leuven site. IMC manages the metrology and defectivity process portfolio and tools, while following processes that are being evaluated or validated for future needs. In this post, the engineer qualifies processes and tools, observes their stability and introduces improvements directed at quality and cycle time. Defectivity issues referred by First Line Support form another central part of the work. Sound statistical analysis is used to develop concise findings for both peers and management.

Work also covers requests for new applications, the creation of tool recipes, and structured investigation when a tool or recipe presents a problem. Root-cause analysis and the development of lasting solutions are named responsibilities. The engineer collaborates with researchers, hardware engineers, operations, industry assignees, and device and process specialists in a multidisciplinary and multicultural setting. Opportunities may arise to develop characterization techniques that align with imec’s technology roadmap. A relevant background combines science or engineering education, or comparable experience, with strong engineering capability, a methodical use of information before action, and careful reporting.

About the Employer: imec

Organization and Relevant Services

Verified Employer Overview

Founded in 1984, imec describes itself as an independent research and innovation centre for nanoelectronics and digital technology. Its work includes the development of chips that it characterises as smaller, faster, more affordable and more sustainable. The organisation refers to itself as the chip lab of the world. For a Process Engineer Defectivity, this employer context is directly connected to a role centred on process and tool qualification, defectivity investigation, metrology and characterization. The advertised post is located at the organisation’s headquarters in Leuven, where semiconductor-related facilities and laboratories are part of the site context.

imec’s activities include research, semiconductor manufacturing through IC-Link, venturing, semiconductor education and workforce development. Its stated expertise reaches beyond nanoelectronics into healthcare, smart cities and mobility, logistics and manufacturing, and energy, combining microchip technology with software and ICT expertise. Semiconductor activity cited by imec includes process technology, metrology and characterization, reliability testing and modelling, and sustainable semiconductor technologies and systems. These areas provide the wider technical setting for a post within the IMC group, whose portfolio includes metrology and defectivity processes and tools.

Professional Setting and Role Context

Work Environment, Operations, and Facilities

Headquartered in Leuven, imec operates globally, with offices across Belgium, Europe, the USA, the UK and Asia. It reports a worldwide team of 6,500 scientists, engineers and innovators representing more than 100 countries. The Leuven headquarters campus has five buildings, two state-of-the-art cleanrooms and many laboratories. The Process Engineer Defectivity role is assigned to this Leuven location and works in a multidisciplinary, multicultural environment alongside researchers, hardware engineers, operations, industry assignees, and device and process experts. The stated collaboration reflects the range of technical contributors involved in its defectivity and inspection work.

The organisation lists a 3.5-billion-euro 300mm semiconductor pilot line, cleanrooms and laboratories among its infrastructure. At the Leuven campus, cited facilities include 300mm and 200mm cleanrooms, advanced nanoelectronics and digital-electronics laboratories, and biolabs for health and life-science research and development. For this vacancy, the relevant operational setting is a fab supported around the clock, with the advertised engineer working early and late shifts and one weekend in four. The role’s combination of qualification, recipe investigation, characterization work and data analysis relates to imec’s listed semiconductor process, metrology and characterization activities.

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Open Positions

1. Process Engineer Defectivity

Official title: Process Engineer Defectivity

Location: Leuven (Flemish Brabant), Belgium | Employment information: Full-time shift role in 24/7 fab support

Within the DIE team, the Process Engineer Defectivity examines the condition and performance of processes, tools and recipes that support the fab. The position brings together hands-on qualification, stable process follow-up, structured analysis and technical reporting. It also requires coordinated work with colleagues across research, engineering, operations and process expertise. Rather than treating an escalated issue as an isolated event, the role investigates its underlying cause and develops a solution intended to endure. Its shift pattern supports imec’s 24/7 fab activity at the Leuven site.

Responsibilities

• Qualify processes and tools, follow their stability, and introduce changes intended to improve quality and cycle time.
• Investigate defectivity matters that First Line Support has escalated for further technical attention.
• Use statistically sound methods to analyse data and present concise conclusions to peers and management.
• Address requests for new applications and create the associated tool recipes.
• Examine issues affecting tools or recipes through a structured technical investigation.
• Determine underlying causes and develop durable solutions for tool and recipe problems.
• Work with researchers, hardware engineers, operations, industry assignees, and device and process experts in a multidisciplinary, multicultural environment.
• Develop characterization techniques when opportunities support imec’s technology roadmap.
• Provide early- and late-shift support for the 24/7 fab, including one weekend in four.

Qualifications

• Hold a Master’s degree in Science or Engineering, or demonstrate equivalent experience.
• Bring strong engineering capability and an engineering-oriented approach to technical work.
• Make decisions and take action from a data-driven approach that seeks relevant information first.
• Work independently and in an organised manner, with close attention to detail and high quality standards.
• Use fluent English in the technical and collaborative work required by the position.
• Communicate clearly and produce strong technical reporting for relevant audiences.
• Contribute as a team member by sharing expertise and knowledge, while maintaining documentation and reporting.
• No driving-licence requirement is stated for the vacancy.
• Preferred: Experience in a fab environment is identified as a strong asset.

Skills and Competencies

• Apply process and tool qualification methods while monitoring stability in the fab setting.
• Troubleshoot defectivity issues that require investigation beyond First Line Support.
• Use statistical data analysis to produce findings for peers and management.
• Create and investigate tool recipes in response to applications and technical problems.
• Conduct root-cause analysis to shape long-term technical solutions.
• Use characterization and metrology knowledge in work within the IMC process portfolio.
• Coordinate effectively with researchers, hardware engineers, operations, industry assignees, and technical experts.
• Communicate and document technical work clearly through reporting and knowledge sharing.
• Plan autonomous, organised work that maintains close attention to quality.

Benefits and Employment Information

• imec describes development opportunities through imec.academy, its corporate university, for technical and personal development.
• The official vacancy describes an inclusive, open, multicultural and informal working environment with opportunities to take initiative and responsibility.
• For the Process Engineer Defectivity post, employment is full-time; it provides 24/7 fab support through early and late shifts and one weekend in four, and imec describes a market-appropriate salary with many fringe benefits but publishes no numeric salary amount.

Application Guidance

Prepare a Focused Application

CV, Evidence, Documents, and Interview Preparation

As general preparation guidance, applicants for process-engineering work can organise examples that show how they have qualified a process or tool, assessed its stability, or used data to select a technically reasoned action. A concise explanation of the question, data source, statistical approach, conclusion and follow-up can help present relevant experience clearly. It can also be useful to prepare a structured account of a fault investigation, including how possible causes were separated and how a longer-term response was developed. This is general preparation advice, not an additional employer requirement.

For a role involving defectivity, metrology and tool recipes, candidates can prepare to discuss work completed with equipment, process controls, data summaries, root-cause analysis and technical documentation. Examples may show how findings were reported to technical colleagues or management, how information was gathered before a decision, and how knowledge was shared within a team. Someone with fab experience can describe the context and contribution without presenting it as mandatory, because the vacancy identifies such experience as a strong asset rather than a requirement. This remains general guidance for professional preparation.

• Prepare a CV that accurately sets out science or engineering education, or equivalent technical experience.
• Select an example of process or tool qualification that includes stability monitoring and improvement work.
• Outline a defectivity or equipment investigation, explaining the data considered and the root cause reached.
• Prepare a concise technical data summary that demonstrates statistically sound analysis and reporting.
• Identify an example of working with several technical disciplines while sharing knowledge and maintaining documentation.
• If applicable, describe fab experience as relevant background, while recognising that it is preferred rather than required.

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How to Apply

Submit Your Application Through the Verified Route

Apply Through the Official Employer Portal

Use the official employer application portal reached through the button below the instructions for the Process Engineer Defectivity vacancy in Leuven. Prepare a CV in English, the language required for the role, and ensure that it accurately presents relevant science or engineering education or equivalent experience, technical work and reporting experience. A short countdown precedes the final portal link.