Title: Section Chief
I. SUMMARY OF POSITION:
A detail-oriented and analytical Cleanroom Resist Ink Printing Engineer is required to lead and optimize precision resist ink printing processes. Responsibilities include overseeing the application of specialized resist inks onto ceramic substrates—as well as screen mesh fabrication through mesh stretching, exposure, and development—within a controlled ISO Class 7 (Class 10,000) cleanroom environment. The role entails ensuring high-resolution pattern accuracy, maximizing production yield, minimizing defects, and maintaining strict adherence to government regulations and control protocols regarding chemical materials.
II. DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES (End Results Expected):
Process Ownership & Optimization
- Parameter Control: Monitor, control, and fine-tune critical printing parameters—including ink viscosity, mesh tension, snap-off distance, squeegee pressure, speed, and alignment—to maintain exceptional layer uniformity and resolution on ceramic substrates.
- Yield Improvement: Lead Business Process Kaizen and continuous improvement initiatives to drive down defect rates and maximize overall line efficiency.
- Equipment Management: Oversee the operation, calibration, and routine preventive maintenance of high-precision screen printers, dispensing systems, and associated curing/baking equipment.
Cleanroom Operations & Quality Assurance
- Contamination Control: Strictly enforce ISO Class 7 (Class 10,000) cleanroom protocols, gowning procedures, and particle generation mitigation strategies to protect sensitive ceramic substrates.
- Quality Compliance: Ensure all output complies with rigorous internal quality standards through thorough visual and automated inspections.
- Material Management: Manage resist ink lifecycles, storage conditions, mixing/degassing protocols, and lot traceability documentation.
Troubleshooting & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Root Cause Analysis: Rapidly diagnose line stoppages or print defects using structured problem-solving methodologies (e.g., 8D, Fishbone/Ishikawa diagrams).
- Cross-Functional Projects: Partner with R&D, Quality Engineering, and Production teams on new product introductions (NPI), substrate qualification trials, and process optimization.
- Standardization: Author, update, and train production technicians on comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and material handling guidelines.
III. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Proven ability to lead diverse teams across departments to achieve operational excellence and resolve complex technical challenges.
- Effective Communication: Skilled in translating technical data into clear action items for management, production technicians, and engineering peers.
- Mentorship & Training: Experienced in authoring standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training technical staff on process controls and cleanroom protocols.
- Collaborative Problem-Solving: Adept at partnering with R&D, Quality Assurance, and Production teams during new product introductions and root cause analyses.
- Adaptability & Drive: High autonomy and resilience in managing high-pressure manufacturing environments and continuous improvement initiatives.
IV. COMMUNICATIONS:
ORAL: Mandarin Chinese and English.
WRITTEN: Excellent written skills to present ideas, concepts, and solutions via presentations, graphs, charts, documents, etc.
V. PROJECT MANAGEMENT, SCHEDULING AND PLANNING:
Good time management and project skills. Be able to evaluate priorities, plan schedule and make appropriate adjustments to meet project target on time.
VI. BASIC JOB REQUIREMENTS:
- Education: Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Experience:
- Minimum of 8 years of engineering experience in a cleanroom manufacturing environment. Proven expertise working inside a cleanroom environment, managing stringent particulate and contamination controls.
- Demonstrated hands-on expertise with screen printing, stencil printing, or thick film printing on ceramic substrates.
- Technical Skills:
- Deep understanding of polymer chemistry, rheology, and ink-substrate interactions.
- Familiarity with metrology and defect-inspection tools (e.g., profilometers, thickness gauges, optical microscopes).
- Proven track record of applying Lean Manufacturing and cross-functional continuous improvement tools.
- Hands-on experience compounding, blending, or adjusting resist ink formulations (adjusting solvents, additives, and binders) to optimize viscosity, thixotropy, and solids content for specific printing windows.
- Strong chemical and physical understanding of thick-film ink behavior, rheology, organic vehicles, and metal-glass dynamics.
- EQUIPMENT OPERATED:
- Precision Screen & Stencil Printers: Automated and semi-automated high-precision screen printers, alignment systems, and stencil printing equipment.
- Screen Stretching Machines: Pneumatic and manual screen stretching equipment used to achieve precise mesh tension, alignment, and stability for high-resolution printing plates.
- Curing & Baking Equipment: High temperature baking ovens.
- Metrology & Inspection Tools: Optical microscopes, surface profilometers, digital thickness gauges, and automated optical inspection (AOI) systems.
- Laboratory & Preparation Equipment: Viscometers, high-spin mixers, and precision weighing scales.
- WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Primarily office based in Taiwan
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
- A working understanding of quality management system, such as ISO9001, ISO14000, IATF16949 etc. is desirable.
- Experienced in statistical data analysis and experiment design will increase the chances to be hired.