Process Development Engineer (Photonics) in Rochester, New York at NY CREATES

Equal Employment Opportunity/M/F/disability/protected veteran status

Position Title: Process Development Engineer (Photonics)

Location: Rochester, NY Category: Engineering Job Type: Full-Time Posted On: Tue Jul 21 2026 Job Description:

Position Summary, Process Development Engineer (Photonics)

AIM Photonics is looking for a Process Development Engineer who will be hands-on working with advanced solder interconnect equipment and materials for the assembly of optoelectronic packages.

AIM Photonics is one of nine United States Department of Defense Manufacturing Innovation Institutes which are industry-driven, public-private partnerships that focus on the nation's premiere capabilities and expertise to capture critical global manufacturing leadership. AIM Photonics is headquarters at NY Creates in Albany, NY. The AIM Photonics Test, Assembly, and Packaging facility (TAP) is new state-of-the-art electronic photonic packaging facility in Rochester, NY. Photonics packaging is 90% of the cost of photonic products and can be a differentiator in the success of the final product.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop interconnect processes and build heterogeneously integrated electronic and optoelectronic packages using state of the art equipment at TAP.
• Run DOE experiments to find best machine parameters to achieve successful builds of advanced packages. Such processes include flip chip, solder, attach, plasma cleaning, thermal compression bonding, additive printing, and dispensing.
• Evaluate and qualify materials including solders used in electronic and optoelectronic packages as required by customers' application.
• Work with high precision equipment to build parts with good solder interconnect integrity and reliability.
• Perform continuous inspection, characterization, and metrology of a process to make sure process is robust.
• Serve as a liaison with marketing, vendors, purchasing and customer on technical information
• Interpret failure analysis reports and cross-sections to understand solder joint integrity.
• Gather and analyze Conduct root cause and failure mode analysis to efficiently improve yields and device performance.

Develop and perform semiconductor assembly processes such as:

• Active alignment fiber attach
• Optical component alignment
• Wafer Dicing
• Die pick/sort

• Other reasonable duties assigned.

Job Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications, Process Development Engineer (Photonics)

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, materials Science, engineering physics, or equivalent from a college or University accredited by the USDOE or internationally recognized accrediting organization.
• 3+ years of experience in fabrication, packaging, or semiconductor devices as well as experience in fiber attach, dicing, or wire bonding.

This position is contingent on the satisfactory completion of a background check.

Preferred Qualifications, Process Development Engineer (Photonics)

• Master's Degree or PhD in Mechanical Engineer, Materials Science, Engineering, Physics or equivalent from a college or University accredited by the USDOE or internationally recognized accrediting organization.
• Strong understanding of engineering and materials science fundamentals and a demonstrated aptitude to learn.
• Experience in cleanroom, high precision equipment, inspection, and characterization equipment in semiconductor assembly line.
• Experience in back-end assembly process including flip-chip bumping, thermal compression bonding, and solder reflow will be highly desirable.
• Experience with flux and fluxless soldering of eutectic solder alloys and intermetallic formation.
• Experience with failure analysis of solder joints
• Strict discipline to follow rules, specifications, have good attention to details as well as have good organization skills.
• DOE experience is a plus.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Don't meet every requirement? At NY Creates we are dedicated to building a welcoming team. If you are excited about working for NY Creates but your experience doesn't exactly align perfectly with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway, you might still be a perfect fit for this or another role.

Benefits

• Medical, Vision, and Dental
• Competitive Pay and PTO
• Flexible Heath Spending and Dependent Care Accounts
• Basic / Optional Life Insurance
• Post-Retirement Health Insurance
• Employer contribution of 7% of earnings to a Basic Retirement plan after meeting one year of service.
• Optional employee contributed retirement account.

Location: 257 Fuller Road, Albany, NY 12203

Salary Range: $100,000-$135,000

Eng Level I $100,000-$110,000

Eng Level II $110,000-$120,000

Eng Level III $120,000-$135,000

*Posted salary rates are determined upon experience and education

Additional Information:

NOTE: Some positions require access to export-controlled commodities, technical data, technology, software, or restricted programs where U.S. Government authorization may be required.

For positions requiring such access, offers of employment are contingent upon the employer being able to obtain the necessary authorization, including, if required, an export license from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security, the U.S. Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, or other government agencies. The decision to pursue an export license application is at The Research Foundation for SUNY's sole discretion. Proof of status may be required prior to employment in connection with necessary authorizations.

Employment is with the Research Foundation for SUNY. The Research Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply please call Human Resources at 518-437-8686.