Senior PECVD Process Engineer
Coherent · Sherman, TX
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Process
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A senior process role at Coherent (industrial) in Sherman, TX. A ccountability – Own the Process and the Outcome.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Root cause, SPC, FMEA, Control plans, MSA / Gage R&R, DOE
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Process Engineer roles in Texas: typical posted base $95k–$145k.
Median of the low and high ends of 19 live postings that list pay, out of 116 process engineer openings in Texas, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Texas plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 115 other live process postings in Texas.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (5+ vs 4+)
Typical $95k–$145k, from 19 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ SPC 43%
- ✓ Root cause 41%
- Cost reduction 22%
- ✓ Automation 22%
- New product launch 21%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Control plans, MSA / Gage R&R, MES, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Process team at Coherent
We found 1 person at this company and state: 1 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Anthony → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Coherent in Sherman
19 other open roles at this site · 1 person we found in process roles at Coherent.
- Equipment Engineering Technician: B / D-Shift · Manufacturing
- Equipment Engineering Technician: Night Shift · Manufacturing
- Director of Process Engineering · Process · Director+
- AVI Process Engineer · Process
- Photolithography Process Engineer · Process
- Senior Metrology Process Engineer · Quality · Senior
Full description from CoherentAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Education & Experience
- ✓Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
5+ years of experience in semiconductor PECVD or thin films process engineering.
Requirements
- ✓Work in a class 100/1000 clean room for extended periods
- ✓Wear full cleanroom attire (smock, mask, etc.)
- ✓Work with and/or around chemicals (such as solids and acids)
- ✓Stand for up to 4 hours at a time
- ✓Lift up to 16-30 Pounds
- ✓Push/Pull up to 16-30 pounds
- ✓Sit for up to 4 hours at a time
Safety
Requirements
All employees are required to follow the site EHS procedures and Coherent Corp. Corporate EHS standards.
Quality and Environmental
Responsibilities
Depending on location, this position may be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the ISO 9000, 9001, 14001 and/or other applicable standards that may apply to the relevant roles and
responsibilities
within the Quality Management System and Environmental Management System.
Culture Commitment
Ensure adherence to company’s values (ICARE) in all aspects of your position at Coherent Corp.:
I ntegrity – Create an Environment of Trust
C ollaboration – Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas
A ccountability – Own the Process and the Outcome
R espect – Recognize the Value in Everyone
E nthusiasm – Find a Sense of Purpose in Work
Coherent is a global leader in lasers, engineered materials and networking components. We are a vertically integrated manufacturing company that develops innovative products for diversified applications in the industrial, optical communications, military, life sciences, semiconductor equipment, and cons
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Process Development and Optimization
- •Serve as the process owner for PECVD, developing, sustaining, and optimizing processes for GaAs and InP device manufacturing.
- •Conduct process characterization and troubleshooting, working cross-functionally with R&D, production, and equipment teams.
- •Apply Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Design of Experiments (DOE) to monitor and improve process stability and yield.
Interface with equipment vendors to evaluate tool performance and upgrades.
Equipment Ownership and Troubleshooting
- •Serve as the technical owner for PECVD equipment and associated metrology.
- •Lead troubleshooting efforts for process deviations, equipment issues, and yield excursions.
- •Work with equipment vendors and maintenance personnel to improve tool performance, reliability, and uptime.
Support equipment qualification, preventive maintenance, and continuous improvement activities.
Automation, Recipe Management, and Fault Detection
- •Support automated recipe download and verification for production tools.
- •Work with automation and equipment teams to ensure correct recipe selection, parameter control, and lot tracking.
- •Develop and maintain process limits, alarms, interlocks, and fault detection rules.
- •Review tool and process data to identify trends, excursions, and early indicators of equipment or process issues.
- •Support fault detection and classification systems to improve process control, reduce scrap, and prevent repeat excursions.
Participate in automation improvements that improve tool utilization, data collection, traceability, and manufacturing consistency.
Yield Improvement and Root Cause Analysis
- •Perform failure analysis and defect characterization to identify root causes of process variation.
- •Develop and implement process improvements to increase yield, improve film quality, and reduce defectivity.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on productivity, equipment utilization, and process capability.
Documentation and Training
- •Develop and maintain process documentation, work instructions, FMEAs, process specifications, and control plans.
- •Train technicians and junior engineers on equipment operation, process control, troubleshooting, and best practices.
Support new equipment installations, process qualifications, and technology transfers.
Skills
- •Strong understanding of SiNx, SiOx, and other PECVD films, including the relationship between process parameters, gas chemistry, plasma conditions, chamber conditioning, clean cycles, and resulting film properties.
- •Experience with thin-film metrology including ellipsometry, reflectometry, profilometry, FTIR, stress/bow measurement, SEM, or similar techniques.
- •Experience in optimizing film thickness, RI, deposition rate, uniformity, stress, and film composition.
- •Ability to work on-site in a semiconductor manufacturing and cleanroom environment.
- •Ability to provide off-hours support as needed for critical manufacturing or equipment issues.
- •Solid background in SPC, Gage R&R, DOE, and root cause analysis.
- •Proficient in JMP, Excel, and other Microsoft Office software.
- •Excellent documentation, troubleshooting, and communication skills.
- •Experience with MES systems (e.g., Camstar) is a plus.
- •Direct GaAs and/or InP process experience is highly desirable.
- •Experience with high-volume semiconductor manufacturing.
- •Knowledge of additional fab areas such as photolithography, etch, or metals.
Familiarity with device-level impacts of film properties and process integration.
Working Conditions
- •Will be exposed to areas where hand tools and power tools are being operated
- •Will be exposed to areas where hazardous chemicals or gases are stored
Ability to work in a cleanroom environment per semi-conductor protocol/requirements
Physical