Wet Etch Process Engineer - Sherman, TX, United States
Originally posted 10 July 2026 by the employer.
Develop and optimize wet etch processes for VCSELs, photodiodes, and edge-emitting lasers on GaAs and InP substrates.
About the role
This role is responsible for developing, optimizing, and troubleshooting wet etch processes for advanced semiconductor devices on GaAs and InP substrates. The work directly supports the fabrication of VCSELs, photodiodes, and edge-emitting lasers.
What you'll do
- Develop and optimize wet etch processes for VCSELs, photodiodes, and edge-emitting lasers on GaAs and InP substrates. - Define and control etch chemistry, etch rate, isotropic vs. anisotropic etching, selectivity, and undercut management. - Utilize metrology tools including AFM, SEM, ellipsometry, profilometry, XPS, XRD, and optical interferometry for process characterization and defect analysis. - Troubleshoot etch process deviations, material compatibility issues, and surface roughness effects, implementing corrective actions to maintain yield and stability. - Integrate wet etch processes into the overall semiconductor fabrication flow in collaboration with device engineers and integration teams. - Establish and maintain SPC methodologies, evaluate new wet etch chemistries and equipment, and document recipes, SOPs, and failure analysis reports.
What you'll need
- Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related field. - 10+ years of hands-on experience in semiconductor wet etch process development, particularly for GaAs and InP-based optoelectronic devices. - Strong expertise in wet etch chemistry, selectivity optimization, surface roughness control, and etch stop layers. - Hands-on experience with metrology techniques such as SEM, AFM, ellipsometry, profilometry, XPS, and XRD for process verification. - Understanding of etching challenges for VCSELs, photodiodes, and EMLs, including precise mesa formation and sidewall passivation. - Proficiency in SPC, DOE, and data-driven process optimization in a cleanroom environment.
Skills: wet etch, GaAs, InP, VCSELs, photodiodes, metrology
This role has been open 102 days — well above the 65-day median for Process Engineering roles.
Process Engineering · Etch Process
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Open roles in category
74
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Median days open
65 d
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Median salary
—
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See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, skills in demand, and who else is hiring
| Metric | Coherent Corp | All employers we track in this specialty (74 roles · 20 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 1 | 74 |
| Open roles in the wider Process, Fab & Equipment family | 152 | 10037 · 107 employers |
| Median days open | 102 d | 65 d (+37 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | — |
Skills observed across this category: wet etch, GaAs, InP, VCSELs, photodiodes, metrology
Who's hiring in this category
- Micron Technology · 33 open roles · median 85 d
- STMicroelectronics · 8 open roles · median 36 d
- Tower Semiconductor · 5 open roles · median 48 d
- Lam Research · 3 open roles · median 107 d
- Texas Instruments · 3 open roles · median 60 d
- Applied Materials · 2 open roles · median 30 d
How we counted: 74 open Process Engineering (Etch Process) roles from 20 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 21 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.