Senior Engineer II, Key Account Technologist (KAT) at ASM · Tokyo

Step into a career with ASM, where cutting edge technology meets collaborative culture. ​

For over 55 years ASM has been ahead of what’s next, at the forefront of innovation and what’s technologically possible. With more than 4,500 ASMers representing 70 nationalities, our people and our advanced semiconductor devices are playing a crucial role in trends such as 5G, cloud computing, AI, and autonomous driving.  But we’re more than just a tech company. We value diversity, inclusion and sustainability as we strive to make a positive impact on the world. Our development programs help support your growth, shaping your future and pushing the boundaries of innovation to unleash potential.

As a Senior Engineer II, Key Account Technologist (KAT) at ASM, you will serve as a key technical interface for strategic customers, driving new technology introduction and successful customer adoption of PEALD metal oxide and metal nitride processes, including TiO, TiN, and emerging MXNT materials for advanced logic, memory, CIS, and packaging applications.

This role combines deep thin-film process expertise, plasma process understanding, and strong customer engagement. You will support NPI, demos, JDP/PTOR/DTOR activities, process qualification, HVM ramp, and technical escalations while translating customer requirements and roadmap needs into actionable inputs for ASM product, process, and technology development.

Selected candidates will participate in approximately 6 months of training in the Japan or Korea research and development centers to build deep understanding of ASM PEALD technology, product platforms, process BKMs, and customer engagement practices.

What you will be working on

· Act as the primary technical interface for key customers, supporting PEALD metal oxide and metal nitride process development, evaluation, qualification, and production while building strong relationships with customer R&D, integration, and manufacturing teams

· Drive NPI, demo, JDP, PTOR/DTOR, and HVM support activities at customer sites, leading hands-on deployment and implementing BU-developed BKMs, CIPs, and process improvements

· Execute and support customer-specific DOE, process optimization, demo, and trouble-shooting activities for current and other emerging PEALD MXNT materials

· Diagnose and resolve complex processes, film-property, integration, and equipment issues across development and production environments, including root cause analysis, corrective actions, particle reduction, thickness/uniformity improvement, and process stability enhancement

· Monitor tool and process performance against customer specifications, including film thickness, uniformity, conformality, stress, resistivity, optical properties, thermal properties, particles, throughput, and uptime

· Understand customer device roadmaps and integration challenges, and align ASM PEALD MXNT solutions with future node requirements in patterning, hard mask, spacer, liners, CIS optical, thermal management, and emerging memory applications

· Collaborate with global R&D, Product Marketing, GPS/TPS, hardware engineering, service, and account teams to drive continuous product improvement and translate customer requirements into product and technology development inputs

· Support alignment between customer needs, ASM PEALD MXNT product strategy, and BU1 business priorities while maintaining a strong customer-facing and solution-

oriented mindset

What we are looking for

· Required educational background: Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Chemistry, Applied Chemistry, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Semiconductor Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline

· Strong academic foundation in thin-film deposition, surface chemistry, plasma processing, semiconductor materials, vacuum technology, or semiconductor process integration is required

· Experience requirements: Ph.D. with 4-8+ years of relevant industry experience, or Master's degree with 7-10+ years of relevant industry experience

· Hands-on experience in ALD or PEALD thin-film deposition, preferably with metal oxide and/or metal nitride films or related materials

· Experience in semiconductor device manufacturing, process development, integration, application engineering, or capital equipment industry, preferably supporting logic, memory, foundry, CIS, or advanced packaging customers

· Background in roles such as Process Engineer, Integration Engineer, Application Engineer, Key Account Technologist, Field Process Engineer, or Technical Customer Support is highly preferred

· Solid understanding of semiconductor process integration, plasma-surface interactions, thin-film characterization, and high-volume manufacturing requirements for advanced technology nodes

· Proven ability to solve complex technical problems through data-driven analysis, customer escalation management, structured root cause analysis, corrective action planning, and cross-functional execution

· Experience supporting NPI, process qualification, technology transfer, customer demos, or HVM ramp activities at customer sites

· Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting process, metrology, and device-relevant data such as thickness, uniformity, conformality, composition, resistivity, stress, refractive index, roughness, particles, and throughput

· Strong communication skills to engage effectively with customer R&D, manufacturing, and internal global teams

· Fluent in English and Chinese, with the ability to communicate complex technical topics clearly and effectively

What sets you apart

· Experience working directly with key semiconductor accounts such as Samsung, SK hynix, TSMC, Intel, Micron, Sony, imec, Rapidus, or leading China-based customers

· Hands-on experience with PEALD metal oxide or metal nitride systems, especially DCM, QCM, QCM TiO XS, or related ALD/PEALD platforms

· Experience leading customer technology evaluations for patterning spacer, hard mask, liners, optical materials, bonding layers, or emerging metal hard mask applications

· Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive technical strategy across process development, product marketing, hardware engineering, service, GPS/TPS, and account teams

· Deep understanding of how PEALD enables low-temperature processing, high conformality, atomic-level thickness control, tunable film properties, and differentiated

integration solutions versus PVD, PECVD, or thermal ALD approaches

· Strong customer-facing mindset with the ability to build long-term trust

Apply today to be part of what’s next.

We make the tech that enables the chips in devices which improve lives around the world. We do this with an eye to the future, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible through cutting-edge innovation, and driving the next wave of technological breakthroughs that shape how we live, work, and connect.

To learn more about ASM, find us at asm.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Xand YouTube.

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ASM is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identify or expression, marital status, pregnancy, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.