Staff Engineer - Chemical Mechanical Polish

About our group:

At Seagate, our mission is to build the world’s best data storage devices. The Advanced Transducer Development group is a global R&D organization dedicated to developing new recording head technologies to advance areal density and support Seagate’s HDD (Hard Disk Drive) product roadmap for the next four years and beyond.

Our process team utilizes state-of-the-art wafer fabrication tools and cleanroom facilities to innovate and deliver leading-edge writers and read sensors. With a focus on proving the feasibility of new devices, processes, and materials, we drive Seagate’s future time-to-market leadership.

If you are passionate about innovative technology development, naturally creative, and enthusiastic about bringing ideas to life, this could be the perfect opportunity to advance your research and development career.

About the role - you will:

• Develop novel, robust, and manufacturable Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) processes to achieve critical planarity, roughness, and dimensional targets in nanometer-scale head devices.
• Maintain the stability of these wafer processes, including performing data analysis for statistical process control and investigating root causes of process excursions.
• Manage the configuration, qualification, and time-sharing of CMP equipment, including coordinating R&D experimental runs.
• Collaborate with design partners to understand requirements for device performance and bridge gaps between intended and fabricated structures.
• Interface with the broader R&D and Product wafer teams (including lithography, deposition, etch, wet process, and integration) to integrate new CMP process modules into advanced prototype wafer builds.
• Evaluate the impact of new CMP processes on downstream head performance.
• Partner with wafer capital equipment suppliers to define hardware paths needed for advanced CMP capability and manufacturability.
• Participate in technology transfers to the product development engineering team.
• Contribute to Seagate’s IP portfolio by submitting invention disclosures, patents, trade secrets, peer-reviewed journal articles, and/or white papers.

About you:

• You are self-motivated, intellectually curious, and able to work independently with a strong attention to detail.
• You are an honest and respectful team player, capable of building strong partnerships with a diverse global group of engineers and technicians.
• You are a well-organized multitasker, skilled at balancing day-to-day wafer processing needs with longer-term development work.
• You maintain thorough documentation of results and can clearly present and discuss them with other team members in engineering and management forums.
• You have a track record of innovation and regularly leverage external sources (such as journals, patents, university projects, and conferences) to inspire new ideas and directions.
• You are interested in and capable of providing technical leadership to junior staff members.
• You are able and enthusiastic about working in a mix of clean room and laboratory environments.

Your experience includes:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related science and engineering field with 8+ years of experience, or a Master’s degree in the same fields with 6+ years of experience, or a Ph.D. with 3+ years of experience, or equivalent education and experience.
• Strong hands-on experience and in-depth understanding of slurry chemistry, surface reactions, pad materials, mechanics of material removal, and other CMP-related phenomena.
• Expertise in thin film and nanostructure characterization techniques (e.g., AFM, ellipsometry, XRF, FIB, SEM, (S)TEM, etc.).
• Proficiency in analytical techniques for slurry, nanoparticle, and pad characterization (e.g., PSD, HPLC, FTIR, nanoindentation, etc.).
• Experience operating and/or maintaining CMP process equipment.

You might also have:

• Knowledge of modeling CMP mechanisms (including fluid flow, stress, abrasion) and/or wafer-scale CMP process simulation (preferred but not essential).
• Familiarity with standard statistical experimentation methods including hypothesis testing, DOE design and analysis, and ANOVA. Experience with JMP or R is preferred but not essential.

The estimated base salary range for this position is $102,648.00 - $149,589.44. The individual salary is based on work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Seagate offers comprehensive benefits to its eligible employees, including, but not limited to, , eligibility to participate in discretionary bonus program, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, short-and long-term disability, 401(k), employee stock purchase plan, health savings account, dependent care, and healthcare spending accounts. Seagate also offers paid time off, including 12 holidays, flexible time off provided pursuant to Seagate policy, a minimum of 48 hours of paid sick leave, and 16 weeks of paid parental leave. The benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year and may differ depending on work location.

Location:

Our Normandale campus spans two suburbs, Edina and Bloomington, and serves as the Recording Head development and manufacturing arm of Seagate. Located in the heart of a bustling community, Seagate offers an on-site café, or if you prefer, you can drive to one of many restaurants just minutes away. Need to grab a gift over lunch time? Shopping is abundant in the area. If working out is your thing, the on-site fully equipped fitness center hosts wellness programs, outdoor activities, tournaments and group workouts. Looking for something more laid back? Reset in one of our meditation rooms, or simply take a walk around our indoor walking path. On-site cultural festivals, celebrations and community volunteer opportunities also abound.

Location: Normandale, United States
Travel: Up to 10%

EEO Statement:

Seagate provides an environment where equal opportunity is available to all. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, ancestry, ethnic or national origin, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex (which includes pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, perceived or actual religious creed or political opinion, military and veteran status, taking or requesting statutorily protected leave, taking or requesting a reasonable accommodation for a protected basis, or other basis protected by applicable law. Company-sponsored training, education, degree assistance, and social and recreational programs are also included. EEO is the Law Poster, EEO is the Law Supplement Poster, & OFCCP Pay Transparency Provision Information.