Principal Scientist - Tin Management Architect - San Diego, CA, United States
$171,200 - $235,400 USD yearly
Originally posted 2 September 2026 by the employer.
About the role
The Principal Scientist - Tin Management Architect joins the Source Research department to lead the definition and evolution of Tin Management architecture for future lithography light sources. This role addresses tin debris generated during the laser-produced plasma (LPP) process to protect source hardware, maintain optical performance, and support EUV source systems.
What you'll do
- Define and drive the long-term Tin Management architecture and technology roadmap, identifying architectural challenges, technology gaps, development priorities, and tradeoffs. - Shape experimental strategies and learning plans for research test rigs to ensure test campaigns yield actionable system-level insights. - Define modeling, simulation, AI, and data capabilities required for Tin Management decisions, guiding development alongside Virtual Source, analysis, and research teams. - Drive technical alignment across research, system engineering, product development teams, and external stakeholders to guide future product architectures and node development. - Capture, document, and communicate architectural learnings and technology recommendations through reports, reviews, and executive presentations. - Provide technical leadership while maintaining approximately 50% allocation to hands-on technology development, experimentation, modeling, and problem solving.
What you'll need
- Ph.D. in Physics, Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related discipline with 8+ years of relevant experience. - Demonstrated expertise in complex physical systems and one or more areas such as thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, plasma physics, lasers, photonics, or related technologies. - Strong background in experimentation, modeling, simulation, and data-driven decision making. - Experience applying computational modeling, data analytics, AI/ML, and digital engineering tools to technology development challenges. - Proven experience developing and maintaining multi-year technology roadmaps, aligning technical maturity, cost, and integration readiness with business strategy. - Ability to work extended hours and second shift as required to support critical experiments, investigations, and program objectives.
Skills: Tin Management, EUV source, lithography machines, plasma physics, technology roadmap
This role has been open 54 days — well below the 80-day median for Semiconductor Equipment Engineering roles.
Semiconductor Equipment Engineering · Lithography Systems
|
Open roles in category
54
|
Median days open
80 d
|
Median salary
$135k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, skills in demand, and who else is hiring
| Metric | ASML | All employers we track in this specialty (54 roles · 13 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 27 | 54 |
| Open roles in the wider Process, Fab & Equipment family | 314 | 10096 · 107 employers |
| Median days open | 53 d | 80 d (−27 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $135k |
Skills observed across this category: Tin Management, EUV source, lithography machines, plasma physics, technology roadmap
Who's hiring in this category
- ASML (this employer) · 29 open roles · median 49 d
- Applied Materials · 4 open roles · median 115 d
- GlobalFoundries · 4 open roles · median 125 d
- Micron Technology · 4 open roles · median 168 d
- Onto Innovation · 3 open roles · median 95 d
- NXP Semiconductors · 2 open roles · median 123 d
How we counted: 54 open Semiconductor Equipment Engineering (Lithography Systems) roles from 13 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 26 Oct 2026. Specialty figures count only roles carrying this exact specialty label, so an employer's related work in neighbouring specialties is not included there — it is counted in the wider Process, Fab & Equipment family row. Figures refresh nightly.