Senior/Staff BEOL Process Integration Engineer

Job description

# About Neurophos The demand for new data centers and AI compute is rapidly outpacing the planet's energy capacity. Digital solutions are hitting a power wall as we approach the physical limits of traditional silicon. Conquering this bottleneck means rethinking the fundamental architecture of inference compute. The industry's current path can't meet the need, so we're taking a different approach. Instead of traditional electronic circuits, we use silicon photonics and an active, programmable metasurface to perform matrix multiplications at the speed of light. Our optical cells are 10,000x smaller than traditional photonic components, enabling unprecedented density. By using photonics instead of electricity, our chips become more efficient as they scale. This architecture will deliver up to 100 times the energy efficiency of existing solutions while significantly improving performance for large-scale AI inference. We’ve assembled a world-class team of industry veterans and recently raised a [$110M Series A](https://www.neurophos.com/110m-raise) led by Gates Frontier. Participants include M12 (Microsoft’s Venture Fund), Carbon Direct Capital, Aramco Ventures, Bosch Ventures, Tectonic Ventures, Space Capital, and others. Join us and shape the future of computing! ## Position Overview Neurophos is seeking a Senior BEOL (Back-End-Of-Line) Process Integration Engineer to join our chip manufacturing team embedded at our foundry partner in Belgium. This role sits at the critical interface between Neurophos’s design intent and foundry execution: you will own BEOL process integration for our advanced photonic chip, ensure that all process steps are qualified and operating within specification, and drive continuous improvement in yield, reliability, and performance. You will work directly with the foundry process integration team, engaging daily with foundry process engineers, metrology teams, and the Neurophos engineering team to ensure our product meets its ambitious specifications. ## **Location** Leuven, Belgium (on-site at IMEC). Full-time position with an American company. ## Key Responsibilities **Process Integration & Development** - Own the BEOL process integration flow for Neurophos’s photonic chip, covering metallization, dielectric deposition, CMP, lithography, etch, and more. - Drive process development and process transfer activities between development and high-volume manufacturing environments. - Define and maintain process specifications and control limits (SPC) for all critical BEOL process steps; lead the foundry to consistently operate within these limits. - Identify process/layout interactions and integration risks across the full BEOL stack; develop mitigation strategies and implement process improvements and design rules. - Review and approve GDS layout for process compatibility, flagging DRC/DFM issues and recommending design modifications. - Understand product reliability mechanisms and failure modes; relate reliability risks to specific BEOL process steps and drive targeted process improvements to enhance device reliability and long-term performance. - Apply structured problem-solving methodologies and systematic root cause analysis to process integration challenges; develop and execute corrective action plans that address root causes and prevent recurrence. - Design and execute Design of Experiments (DOE) in the fab to support process development, continuous improvement, and process qualification activities; analyze results to define optimal process windows and improve process robustness. **Fault Isolation & Failure Analysis** - Lead fault isolation (FI) efforts from electrical test data, inline metrology, and yield excursion data; define and execute structured debug plans. - Lead physical failure analysis (PFA) activities including cross-sectioning, SEM/TEM analysis, EDX, and other characterization techniques in coordination with the foundry and external labs. - Correlate process excursions to electrical and optical performance impacts; communicate root cause and corrective actions clearly to internal and external stakeholders (8D). - Establish and maintain a systematic excursion management process with the foundry to minimize cycle time from detection to resolution. **Specification Management & Continuous Improvement** - Define and own BEOL process specification documents, test structure requirements, and acceptance criteria for process changes or process transfer to HVM. - Monitor process and product data trends; proactively identify opportunities to tighten spec limits and improve process robustness. - Drive continuous improvement projects to enhance yield, reduce cycle time, and reduce costs in partnership with the foundry process team. - Maintain engineering documentation including process travelers, work instructions, and qualification reports. - Define and implement a Known Good Die (KGD) strategy, establishing electrical and optical test criteria, wafer-level screening flows, and acceptance standards to ensure only fully qualified dies advance to packaging and system integration. **Cross-Functional Collaboration** - Serve as the primary Neurophos technical liaison with the foundry BEOL process engineering team on a day-to-day basis. - Collaborate closely with Neurophos device physics, design, and product engineering teams to translate process constraints into design guidelines and vice versa. - Represent Neurophos in technical reviews, process qualification reviews, and change control meetings at the foundry. - Communicate process status, risks, and improvement roadmaps to Neurophos engineering leadership clearly and promptly. ## Qualifications - Education in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related discipline. - 3+ years of experience in one or more of the following roles: BEOL or FEOL process integration engineer, FAB device engineer, product engineer, or process engineer in a semiconductor foundry or IDM environment. - Hands-on familiarity with core BEOL and FEOL unit process steps including optical lithography, dry and wet etch, thin film deposition (CVD, PVD, ALD), CMP, and metallization (Cu, W, Al). - Demonstrated ability to read and interpret GDS/GDSII layout files; ability to identify process-relevant design features and communicate DFM feedback to design teams. - Proven experience leading fault isolation and failure analysis from electrical test data through to physical root cause, with experience using SEM, FIB, TEM, EDX, or equivalent techniques. - Experience defining and owning process specification limits and SPC control strategies; track record of driving a foundry to achieve and maintain spec compliance. - Experience in process development or process transfer between development and manufacturing environments is a strong plus. - Familiarity with photonic or optoelectronic device processing is a plus but not required. - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; comfortable working with large datasets and statistical process control tools. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment. - Willingness to work on-site at the foundry location in Belgium on a full-time basis. # What We Offer This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in an innovative startup redefining the future of AI hardware. Work on game-changing technology at the intersection of photonics and AI as part of a collaborative, brilliant team. You’ll contribute to a platform that redefines computational performance and accelerates the future of artificial intelligence. Come help us bring this transformative technology to the world. ## Benefits Join a team that invests in your future and your well-being. At Neurophos, we offer: - 100% coverage of base health plan premiums for you and your dependents, plus HSA contributions. - Unlimited PTO. No rigid vacation banks, just a focus on delivery. - 401(k) matching and stock option opportunities to ensure our success is your success. - Full suite of voluntary benefits, including Dental, Vision, Life, Hospital, Critical Illness, and Accident insurance. - Personalized Benefits. Choose the plans that fit your life and take the cash back for those that don’t.