SEM charging researcher

Introduction

Are you challenged by demanding projects in a multidisciplinary context? Do you have the technical capabilities to provide innovative solutions? Does contributing to the world’s most advanced lithography machines makes you feel responsible and proud? Then this might be the right opportunity for you.

Job Mission

ASML Research is looking for a Senior Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Specialist with a focus on charging effects to strengthen the Scanning Electron Microscopy Research group.

Within the SEM group, you will contribute to the fundamental understanding and development of innovative solutions to manage charge build-up and charge migration on semiconductor wafers, a key challenge in advanced e-beam metrology and inspection.

In this role, you will operate in a highly multidisciplinary environment, driving a deep understanding of how charging phenomena impact electron imaging in real customer use cases. You will translate this understanding into improved modeling, measurement strategies, and mitigation solutions, combining simulation, physics-based reasoning, and experimental validation in close collaboration with colleagues in Veldhoven and San Jose (California).

Job Description

As a senior specialist, you will take a leading role in advancing ASML’s capabilities in understanding and controlling charging effects in SEM systems. Your responsibilities include:

• Leading and executing modeling and simulation of charge build-up and migration phenomena on wafers and device structures
• Driving the fundamental understanding of charging mechanisms and their impact on imaging performance and metrology accuracy
• Developing and validating innovative mitigation strategies (e.g. control schemes, scanning strategies, hardware or software solutions)
• Translating customer use cases and device architectures into concrete requirements for charging robustness in SEM systems
• Defining and guiding experiments to validate charging models and solutions, working closely with system and application engineers
• Acting as a technical authority in the domain of charging, contributing to knowledge development and mentoring colleagues

Education

PhD or Master’s degree (with 2–5 years of relevant experience) in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field, with strong expertise in Scanning Electron Microscopy or electron-matter interactions.

Preferred Experience

• Proven expertise in electron–matter interaction modeling, with emphasis on charging effects
• Strong background in charge transport, accumulation, and dissipation mechanisms in materials and device structures
• Experience linking physical modeling to experimental validation
• Familiarity with semiconductor metrology or inspection systems is a strong advantage

Personal Skills

• Strong ownership and ability to drive complex, multidisciplinary technical challenges
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to influence and align with a diverse group of experts
• Analytical, inquisitive, and deeply driven to understand underlying physics
• Pragmatic approach with the ability to translate theory into practical system improvements
• Clear and effective communicator across disciplines and organizational levels
• Fluent in English

Context of the Position

The Research Scanning Electron Microscopy group is part of the Research department of ASML. Its task is to identify and fill in the technological gaps in the future roadmap of lithography and the lithography market. Our focus is on fundamental understanding and novel solution identification for our e-beam metrology systems. We work in small teams and deliver proof of concept solutions that can be transferred to Development and Engineering. We intensively work together with external research institutes and universities.

Other Information:

Keywords:

Industrial research, electrostatic, modeling, multi-physics, Comsol, Matlab, electron, SEM, Device

This position requires access to controlled technology, as defined in the United States Export Administration Regulations (15 C.F.R. § 730, et seq.). Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to access such controlled technology prior to beginning work. Business demands may require ASML to proceed with candidates who are immediately eligible to access controlled technology.

Inclusion and diversity

ASML is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We recognize that inclusion and diversity is a driving force in the success of our company.

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