Senior Application Engineer

The DRCDSEM/CDSEM Applications Engineer reports to the Nanotechnology Group Application Manager and is responsible for providing comprehensive technical support for Advantest DRSEM/CDSEM products installed at customer sites across North America mainly in Texas. This role includes daily activities such as recipe tuning, system calibration, and troubleshooting. Mid- to long-term responsibilities involve conducting Customer Acceptance Tests (CAT) for new tool installations, leading task forces to resolve complex issues, developing Best Known Methods (BKMs), and driving Continuous Improvement Plans (CIPs).

The engineer will collaborate closely with both customers and internal divisions, ensuring effective communication to maximize the performance of installed tools. Responsibilities also include creating and publishing technical documentation to support operational effectiveness.

Responsibilities:

• Provide daily support for installed products at customer sites, including beam calibration, recipe tuning, and troubleshooting.
• Support new tool and software installations, including conducting Customer Acceptance Tests (CAT), publishing relevant documentation, and training customer tool owners.
• Develop and publish Best Known Methods (BKMs) and standard procedures for new applications and operations.
• Address customer and tool-related challenges by defining problem statements, analyzing data, and implementing timely solutions. Lead task forces to resolve complex issues and ensure effective communication with both customers and Advantest internal teams.
• Participate in Continuous Improvement Plans (CIP) by assessing tool capabilities and identifying areas for product and software enhancement.
• Ensure timely updates and effective knowledge sharing across customer sites and internal teams.

Must-have:

• Strong attention to detail, with a focus on innovation and continuous improvement
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong customer-facing and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work effectively in multi-functional and cross-cultural teams
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally (up to 20%); must possess a valid passport
• Proficiency with data analysis and productivity tools, including:
  • Processing and visualizing large datasets.
  • Expertise in Excel and PowerPoint.

Knowledge / Experience

Candidates should have one or more of the following:

• Experience working with semiconductor manufacturing tools (experience with metrology or inspection tools is a significant plus)
• Familiarity with Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM)
• Strong understanding of basic physics and mathematics
• Knowledge of image processing techniques

Preferred skills

• Proficiency in programming languages such as MATLAB or Python
• Ability to communicate in Japanese