Plasma Physics Process Lead – Eindhoven

Role descriptionYou will own plasma physics and process development for a new semiconductor thin-film deposition platform. You will work on understanding and controlling the plasma, mapping how plasma conditions impact deposited film properties, and defining the process windows needed to take the platform from proof of concept to a fab-ready deposition process. You will be responsible for characterising the plasma discharge, defining the KPIs and parameters that matter for repeatability and scale-up, and using your plasma physics expertise to understand how source design and plasma behaviour influence deposited film properties. You will apply those insights to guide full-system architecture decisions alongside the CTO, source engineers, materials engineers, and mechanical engineers.  This position is in an early-stage startup environment. You should be ready for ambiguity, tight schedules, shifting priorities, rapid iteration, working directly alongside the CTO, and assuming wider responsibility for decisions that shape the final product-market fit.  Visa: Visa sponsorship is availableEquity: ESOP available, will be discussed individuallyWork arrangement: 4 days on-site, 1 day hybridWork location: Eindhoven (High Tech Campus)Salary range: €100k to €130k gross per year  Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of the plasma side of the discharge-geometry loop.
• Own plasma discharge characterization and performance optimization for a semiconductor thin-film deposition platform.
• Define process windows, critical KPIs, and the scaling path for repeatability under fab-relevant conditions.
• Map plasma behaviour to deposited film properties across all deposition modes.
• Directly impact the source design and manage the physics of the plasma together with the CTO and source engineers.
• Collaborate with materials and mechanical engineering teams to drive full-system architectural decisions.
• Engage directly with semiconductor equipment OEMs and fab partners to establish process-level technical requirements.
• Contribute to the IP strategy around the source and plasma process.

Main requirements

• PhD in plasma physics, applied physics, or a closely related field (or MSc with an equivalent 5+years industrial track record).
• Strong industrial background in plasma physics, with an emphasis on real-world hardware constraints (rather than purely academic exercises).
• Deep, first-principles understanding of plasma physics: sheath dynamics, beam extraction and transport, neutralisation, plasma-surface interactions, and energy/angular distributions.
• Practical experience translating plasma behaviour into process outcomes, including film composition, density, stress, uniformity, and defects.
• Hands-on experience with plasma diagnostics and interpreting complex measurement data.
• High agency and self-starting capabilities – you must be a senior professional who already knows what to do without being steered.
• Fluent English

Other requirements

• Experience with high-performance plasma systems, such as electric propulsion, fusion, or advanced ion sources.
• Hands-on experience with specific plasma diagnostics: Langmuir probes, RGA, optical emission spectroscopy, and Faraday cups.
• Practical experience in semiconductor equipment, thin-film deposition, or vacuum process tools.

Nice to have, but not mandatory

• Understanding of thin-film characterization metrology: ellipsometry, AFM, XPS, XRR, XRD, SEM, TEM, TOF-SIMS, electrical test, thermal test.
• Previous experience scaling a plasma process from lab to pilot or production.
• Experience with writing patents and IP strategy.

Benefits

• Support with relocation to Eindhoven (within reason)