Senior Lithography Engineer

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Location: Bloomington, MN, US

Posting Date: Sep 27, 2025

Job ID: 12634

At Seagate our mission is to build the world’s best data storage devices. The Advanced Transducer Development group is a global R&D organization that develops new recording head technologies to advance areal density and enable Seagate’s HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 4 year+ product roadmap. Our process team uses state-of-the-art wafer fabrication tools and cleanroom facilities to innovate and deliver leading-edge writers and read sensors. With an emphasis on proving feasibility of new devices, processes and materials, we help build Seagate’s future time-to-market leadership. If you are excited by innovative technology development, are naturally creative, and passionate about seeing ideas come to life then this could be a perfect fit to your research and development career.

• Develop novel, robust, and manufacturable lithography processes to achieve critical shape and dimension targets in advanced head devices
• Utilize next-generation scanners with existing or new patterning materials to achieve design requirements
• Maintain stability of wafer processes, including data analysis for statistical process control and investigation of root causes for process excursions
• Apply problem-solving techniques to resolve operational issues with wafer processing and development flows to minimize wafer cycle time and scrap
• Work with design partners to understand requirements for device performance and close gaps between intended and fabricated structures
• Interface with the wider RD and Product wafer teams (deposition, etch, CMP, wet process and integration) to integrate new lithography process modules into advanced prototype wafer builds
• Explore techniques with wafer capital equipment suppliers and research partners to advance process capability in resist coating, optical exposure, resist development and litho metrology
• Manage experiments, projects and wafer tracking to deliver results to the designated schedule
• Participate in technology transfers to the product development engineering team
• Contribute to Seagate’s IP portfolio in the form of invention disclosures, patents, trade secrets, peer-reviewed journal articles, and/or white papers

• You are self-motivated, intellectually curious, able to work independently and have a strong attention to detail
• You are an honest and respectful team player, capable of working in strong partnership with a diverse global group of engineers and technicians
• You are a well-organized multitasker, able to balance day-to-day wafer processing needs with longer-term development work
• You maintain thorough documentation of results and can clearly present and discuss them with other staff members in engineering and management forums
• You have a track record of innovation and regularly use outside sources (journals, patents, university projects and conferences) to inspire new ideas and directions
• You are able and eager to work in a mix of clean room and laboratory environments

• Strong hands-on experience and in-depth understanding of optical imaging, photoresist formulation and chemistry, mask design, dosing, pattern formation etc
• Expertise in lithography-related characterization techniques (e.g. inspection, ellipsometry, profilometry, SEM, etc)
• Experience operating and/or maintaining lithography process equipment (coat/develop tools, steppers/scanners/aligners, strippers, etc)
• Modeling or simulation of resist behavior and pattern formation (helpful but not essential)
• Knowledge of standard statistical experimentation methods including hypothesis testing, DOE design and analysis and ANOVA. Familiarity with JMP or R preferred but not essential.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering related field (i.e. Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Computer Engineering, Materials, Physics, or Information Technology) and 5+ years of experience or master’s degree in the same and 3+ years’ experience or PhD and 0+ years’ experience or equivalent experience and education.

Our Normandale campus spans two suburbs, Edina and Bloomington, and serves as the Recording Head development and manufacturing arm of Seagate. Located in the heart of a bustling community, Seagate offers an on-site café, or if you prefer, you can drive to one of many restaurants just minutes away. Need to grab a gift over lunch time? Shopping is abundant in the area. If working out is your thing, the on-site fully equipped fitness center hosts wellness programs, outdoor activities, tournaments and group workouts. Looking for something more laid back? Reset in one of our meditation rooms, or simply take a walk around our indoor walking path. On-site cultural festivals, celebrations and community volunteer opportunities also abound.

The estimated base salary range for this position is $92,310.00 - $131,994.00. The individual salary is based on work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Seagate offers comprehensive benefits to its eligible employees, including, but not limited to, , eligibility to participate in discretionary bonus program, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, short-and long-term disability, 401(k), employee stock purchase plan, health savings