Equipment Automation Engineer – Semiconductor Fab Automation

Keysight is on the forefront of technology innovation, delivering breakthroughs and trusted insights to the world’s visionaries and innovators in electronic design, simulation, prototyping, test, manufacturing, and optimization. Our ~15,000 employees create world-class solutions in communications, 5G, automotive, energy, quantum, aerospace, defense, and semiconductor markets for customers in over 100 countries. Our technical solutions – and our methods for creating them – help connect and secure the world. Learn more about what we do and how we do it.

Our powerful culture has led to us being independently recognized on Fortune 100’s Best Companies List and we are “Great Place to Work” Certified. We’re driven, collaborative, ethical, and curious, and we value all ideas, especially bold ones. And our culture extends far beyond our own walls. Our corporate social responsibility efforts support our communities, nurture the next generation of engineers, and promote environmental sustainability.

At Keysight, Inclusion, Equity & Diversity is an integral part of our core values. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers. We believe everyone should be respected in the workplace and in their communities regardless of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ethnicity, religion, disability, veteran status, national origin, or any protected class. We continuously challenge ourselves to grow in our understanding of inclusion by engaging in a wide variety of diversity programs, initiatives, employee network groups and mentoring/development. This is Keysight – People and Culture – YouTube

Keysight has an exciting opening for Equipment Automation Engineer in the state-of-art semiconductor Fab at our R&D site in Santa Rosa.  In this role, you will be responsible for automating new equipment and ensuring it connects and communicates with our new Manufacturing Execution System (MES).  The successful candidate will serve as the interface between process engineering, equipment engineering, the MES supplier, and the IT team.

We are located in the wine country, an hour north of San Francisco.  Santa Rosa is a medium-sized city, of approximately 180,000 people, with a mild climate and many recreational opportunities.  Keysight’s Santa Rosa facility is a unique campus with 4 buildings on 191 acres.  We primarily focus on new product development with many technically challenging jobs at this site.  In addition to designing state-of-the-art test and measurement equipment, we design and fabricate custom integrated circuits used in Keysight instruments.  These world-class high-frequency ICs give our instrument product offerings significant performance advantages.

As a Mechatronics Engineer, you will need a strong background in automation and mechatronics.  You will be responsible for supporting automated systems to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our semiconductor fab.  Your primary focus will be on integrating new equipment with our MES system, which will require knowledge of communication protocols such as SECS/GEM, IPC-CFX, and HERMES.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop automation systems with vendors for new equipment.
• Ensure equipment connects and communicates with the MES system.
• Work with cross-functional teams to integrate new equipment into the fab.
• Troubleshoot and resolve any automation or mechatronics issues that arise.
• Collaborate with other engineers to continuously improve the fab’s automation processes.
• Create and maintain documentation for all automation systems and processes.

• BS, MS, or Ph.D.  in Mechatronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or related technical field.
• Strong knowledge of industrial automation and mechatronics principles.
• Knowledge of industrial communication protocols.
• Experience with scripting, using Python, C/C++, VBA, or any other language.
• Knowledge of computer networking, including TCP/IP.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Strongly desired: Experience with SECS/GEM, IPC-CFX, and HERMES.

This position requires access to certain goods, software, technology, or technical data subject to U.S. export control laws and regulations. Under these laws and regulations, U.S. persons (which includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees) working for Keysight can access export-controlled items without authorization from the U.S. government. For any individual who is not a U.S. person, Keysight may need authorization from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Commerce, or other appropriate federal agency before the individual can access export-controlled items. Employment in this position for non-U.S. persons is contingent on Keysight’s ability to obtain any required government authorizations.

Pay Range: