{"schemaVersion":"jobsearcher.job.v1","id":"95eda75ba2cd5bdf8ad3a573","url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/95eda75ba2cd5bdf8ad3a573","canonicalUrl":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/95eda75ba2cd5bdf8ad3a573","title":"Failure Analysis Engineer","description":"HyperLight is at the forefront of the commercialization of thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) integrated photonics - a material and process technology that is enabling high-performance, scalable optical components across AI/datacom infrastructure, hyperscale computing, quantum computing, sensing, and beyond. Founded in 2018 and backed by leading venture capital, we’ve built a team and a platform focused on real-world mass deployment of TFLN photonics technology.\n\nAt the core of our work is the TFLN Chiplet™ platform - a modular, integrated architecture designed for scalability, manufacturability, and seamless integration into complex systems. It offers a rare combination of extraordinary performance and industrial readiness, enabling system developers across applications to deploy the technology fast and ready. We partner with our customers and suppliers from conceptualization, design, and prototyping phases, all the way through mass production to ensure smooth and rapid deployment of TFLN photonic technology.\n\nWe believe our platform is the key, in the golden age of integrated photonics, to empower humanity to the next level. We assembled a world class team covering engineering, business, and operations. We believe in the power of integrity, innovation, collaboration, and pragmatic solutions. Our diverse team thrives on challenges and is united by a shared commitment to excellence. We take pride in tackling complex challenges with curiosity, humility, and a deep sense of care for one another.\n\nFailure Analysis currently consists of a small and impactful team. You’ll be trained directly by the FA lead and will grow into owning cases independently across the full workflow: intake, analysis planning, hands-on characterization, root cause determination, and reporting back to the Test, Platform, and Engineering teams.\n\nFA at HyperLight is investigative work. Each measurement is one piece of evidence, and the job is to assemble those pieces into a defensible picture of what actually happened – while resisting the pull of the first plausible story.\n\nWhat you’ll do\n\nOwn FA cases end to end: define the question, plan the analysis, execute it, and write it up.\nSequence analyses correctly on irreplaceable samples; non-destructive before destructive and know when a cross-section is worth spending the only sample you have.\nRun optical microscopy, SEM, and EDS day to day; FIB cross-sectioning and lift-out; AFM,\nprofilometry, and ellipsometry as needed.\nPerform surface and chemical characterization — XPS, Raman, FTIR — and interpret the data, not just acquire it.\nSpecify and manage outsourced analysis (e.g. TEM) with external labs.\nSupport post-reliability FA on stressed parts (HAST, damp heat, thermal cycling) and on customer returns, working with the Test and Reliability engineers.\nWork in the cleanroom on FA sample preparation and on light fabrication for demo and\nprocess-feasibility devices: resist processing, photolithography, e-beam lithography, metallization, etching (wet, dry: ion milling and RIE).\nWrite clear, evidence-anchored reports that hold up under cross-functional scrutiny, and present findings to stakeholders including Platform and Foundry.\nMaintain sample chain of custody, case records, and the FA findings database.\n\nRequirements\n\nEducation and experience — one of:\nBS in materials science and engineering, chemistry, applied physics, physics, electrical engineering, or chemical engineering, plus 3+ years hands-on cleanroom and/or\ncharacterization experience; or\nMS in one of the above plus 1–2 years; or\nPhD in one of the above (graduate research counts toward experience)\nIndependent cleanroom experience. You have been qualified on and worked unsupervised with at least three of: photolithography and resist processing, plasma/RIE etch, wet etch, thin-film deposition (PVD/CVD/ALD), e-beam lithography. This includes the habits that go with it – contamination and particle control, strict SOP adherence, and legible, complete logbooks.\nIndependent SEM operation, including imaging of insulating and PIC samples, plus EDS acquisition and interpretation.\nExperimental rigor. Demonstrated ability to design an analysis with appropriate controls,\nidentify confounding variables, and keep observation separate from inference.\nTechnical writing. You can produce a report that a non-specialist stakeholder can act on.\nComfortable working with acids, bases, and solvents, and willing to complete site-specific safety training, including hydrofluoric acid handling.\n\nPreferred\n\nFIB for cross-sectioning, lift-out, and TEM lamella preparation.\nXPS data analysis – peak fitting, charge referencing/correction, chemical-state assignment. This is the hardest analytical skill on the list and weighs accordingly.\nTEM, or experience scoping and managing outsourced TEM/analytical work.\nRaman, FTIR, AFM, ellipsometry, profilometry.\nE-beam lithography.\nWorking knowledge of semiconductor and photonic failure mechanisms: galvanic corrosion, delamination, cracking, electromigration, ESD.\nFamiliarity with JEDEC reliability methods (HAST, damp heat, thermal cycling).\nLithium niobate, integrated photonics, MEMS, or III-V process experience.\nStatistical and spectral data analysis (JMP, Python).\nExperience presenting technical findings to teams whose processes the findings implicate.\n\nWhat we look for\n\nTwo qualities matter more here than any single tool on the list.\n\nThe first is curiosity that doesn’t quit – the instinct to stop at the odd thing in the corner of\nthe image rather than move on because it wasn’t what you were looking for. Most root causes we find started as an incidental observation someone chose not to ignore.\n\nThe second is calibration – being willing to say the evidence doesn’t yet support a conclusion,\nand to change your mind when a control comes back wrong. FA findings drive real changes to\nproduction, so being confidently wrong is expensive.\n\nPhysical and work environment demands\n\nWork is performed in cleanroom and laboratory environments requiring full gowning (coverall, hood, face mask, gloves, shoe covers, safety glasses), donned and removed multiple times per day.\nExtended periods of standing and walking in the cleanroom, frequently 2 - 4 hours at a stretch, with limited flexibility to step away mid-process.\nManual dexterity and fine motor control are sufficient to handle wafers, chips, and sub-millimeter features with tweezers under a microscope.\nClose visual acuity (correctable) for microscope and instrument work. Lithography bays operate under filtered yellow lighting.\nRoutine work with hazardous chemicals including acids, bases, and solvents using prescribed PPE. Site-specific safety training is required before working independently.\nCertain characterization instruments generate strong magnetic fields; access to those tools may be restricted for individuals with pacemakers or other implanted medical devices.\nLocal travel between the HyperLight office/lab and shared user facilities at Harvard CNS and MIT.nano.\nOccasional off-hours or weekend work when tool availability at shared facilities requires it.\nExtended periods at a workstation for data analysis and report writing.\n\nBenefits\n\nCompetitive market-based compensation (Salary range $90,000 - $180,000 per year)\nComprehensive health coverage, including medical, vision, and dental plans for individuals and families\n401(k) retirement plans with employee matching\nPaid Parental Leave\nLife and disability insurance\nCommuter benefits and subsidies\nProfessional growth and mentorship opportunities\n\nThis role is in-person at HyperLight's office in Cambridge, MA. Authorization to work in the US is required.\n\nHyperLight is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. HyperLight is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during our hiring process. If you need assistance or an accommodation, please contact us at HR@hyperlightcorp.com.","company":"Hyperlight","rawCompany":"hyperlight","city":"Somerville","state":"MA","isRemote":false,"isActive":false,"createdAt":"2026-08-29T11:18:13.069Z","occupations":[{"code":"17-2131.00","title":"Materials Engineers","slug":"materials-engineers"},{"code":"19-2032.00","title":"Materials Scientists","slug":"materials-scientists"},{"code":"17-2199.07","title":"Photonics Engineers","slug":"photonics-engineers"}],"industries":[{"code":"334413","title":"Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing","slug":"semiconductor-and-related-device-manufacturing"},{"code":"541715","title":"Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)","slug":"research-and-development-in-the-physical-engineering-and-life-sciences-except-nanotechnology-and-biotechnology"},{"code":"334419","title":"Other Electronic Component Manufacturing","slug":"other-electronic-component-manufacturing"}],"jobPosting":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Failure Analysis Engineer","description":"HyperLight is at the forefront of the commercialization of thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) integrated photonics - a material and process technology that is enabling high-performance, scalable optical components across AI/datacom infrastructure, hyperscale computing, quantum computing, sensing, and beyond. Founded in 2018 and backed by leading venture capital, we’ve built a team and a platform focused on real-world mass deployment of TFLN photonics technology.\n\nAt the core of our work is the TFLN Chiplet™ platform - a modular, integrated architecture designed for scalability, manufacturability, and seamless integration into complex systems. It offers a rare combination of extraordinary performance and industrial readiness, enabling system developers across applications to deploy the technology fast and ready. We partner with our customers and suppliers from conceptualization, design, and prototyping phases, all the way through mass production to ensure smooth and rapid deployment of TFLN photonic technology.\n\nWe believe our platform is the key, in the golden age of integrated photonics, to empower humanity to the next level. We assembled a world class team covering engineering, business, and operations. We believe in the power of integrity, innovation, collaboration, and pragmatic solutions. Our diverse team thrives on challenges and is united by a shared commitment to excellence. We take pride in tackling complex challenges with curiosity, humility, and a deep sense of care for one another.\n\nFailure Analysis currently consists of a small and impactful team. You’ll be trained directly by the FA lead and will grow into owning cases independently across the full workflow: intake, analysis planning, hands-on characterization, root cause determination, and reporting back to the Test, Platform, and Engineering teams.\n\nFA at HyperLight is investigative work. Each measurement is one piece of evidence, and the job is to assemble those pieces into a defensible picture of what actually happened – while resisting the pull of the first plausible story.\n\nWhat you’ll do\n\nOwn FA cases end to end: define the question, plan the analysis, execute it, and write it up.\nSequence analyses correctly on irreplaceable samples; non-destructive before destructive and know when a cross-section is worth spending the only sample you have.\nRun optical microscopy, SEM, and EDS day to day; FIB cross-sectioning and lift-out; AFM,\nprofilometry, and ellipsometry as needed.\nPerform surface and chemical characterization — XPS, Raman, FTIR — and interpret the data, not just acquire it.\nSpecify and manage outsourced analysis (e.g. TEM) with external labs.\nSupport post-reliability FA on stressed parts (HAST, damp heat, thermal cycling) and on customer returns, working with the Test and Reliability engineers.\nWork in the cleanroom on FA sample preparation and on light fabrication for demo and\nprocess-feasibility devices: resist processing, photolithography, e-beam lithography, metallization, etching (wet, dry: ion milling and RIE).\nWrite clear, evidence-anchored reports that hold up under cross-functional scrutiny, and present findings to stakeholders including Platform and Foundry.\nMaintain sample chain of custody, case records, and the FA findings database.\n\nRequirements\n\nEducation and experience — one of:\nBS in materials science and engineering, chemistry, applied physics, physics, electrical engineering, or chemical engineering, plus 3+ years hands-on cleanroom and/or\ncharacterization experience; or\nMS in one of the above plus 1–2 years; or\nPhD in one of the above (graduate research counts toward experience)\nIndependent cleanroom experience. You have been qualified on and worked unsupervised with at least three of: photolithography and resist processing, plasma/RIE etch, wet etch, thin-film deposition (PVD/CVD/ALD), e-beam lithography. This includes the habits that go with it – contamination and particle control, strict SOP adherence, and legible, complete logbooks.\nIndependent SEM operation, including imaging of insulating and PIC samples, plus EDS acquisition and interpretation.\nExperimental rigor. Demonstrated ability to design an analysis with appropriate controls,\nidentify confounding variables, and keep observation separate from inference.\nTechnical writing. You can produce a report that a non-specialist stakeholder can act on.\nComfortable working with acids, bases, and solvents, and willing to complete site-specific safety training, including hydrofluoric acid handling.\n\nPreferred\n\nFIB for cross-sectioning, lift-out, and TEM lamella preparation.\nXPS data analysis – peak fitting, charge referencing/correction, chemical-state assignment. This is the hardest analytical skill on the list and weighs accordingly.\nTEM, or experience scoping and managing outsourced TEM/analytical work.\nRaman, FTIR, AFM, ellipsometry, profilometry.\nE-beam lithography.\nWorking knowledge of semiconductor and photonic failure mechanisms: galvanic corrosion, delamination, cracking, electromigration, ESD.\nFamiliarity with JEDEC reliability methods (HAST, damp heat, thermal cycling).\nLithium niobate, integrated photonics, MEMS, or III-V process experience.\nStatistical and spectral data analysis (JMP, Python).\nExperience presenting technical findings to teams whose processes the findings implicate.\n\nWhat we look for\n\nTwo qualities matter more here than any single tool on the list.\n\nThe first is curiosity that doesn’t quit – the instinct to stop at the odd thing in the corner of\nthe image rather than move on because it wasn’t what you were looking for. Most root causes we find started as an incidental observation someone chose not to ignore.\n\nThe second is calibration – being willing to say the evidence doesn’t yet support a conclusion,\nand to change your mind when a control comes back wrong. FA findings drive real changes to\nproduction, so being confidently wrong is expensive.\n\nPhysical and work environment demands\n\nWork is performed in cleanroom and laboratory environments requiring full gowning (coverall, hood, face mask, gloves, shoe covers, safety glasses), donned and removed multiple times per day.\nExtended periods of standing and walking in the cleanroom, frequently 2 - 4 hours at a stretch, with limited flexibility to step away mid-process.\nManual dexterity and fine motor control are sufficient to handle wafers, chips, and sub-millimeter features with tweezers under a microscope.\nClose visual acuity (correctable) for microscope and instrument work. Lithography bays operate under filtered yellow lighting.\nRoutine work with hazardous chemicals including acids, bases, and solvents using prescribed PPE. Site-specific safety training is required before working independently.\nCertain characterization instruments generate strong magnetic fields; access to those tools may be restricted for individuals with pacemakers or other implanted medical devices.\nLocal travel between the HyperLight office/lab and shared user facilities at Harvard CNS and MIT.nano.\nOccasional off-hours or weekend work when tool availability at shared facilities requires it.\nExtended periods at a workstation for data analysis and report writing.\n\nBenefits\n\nCompetitive market-based compensation (Salary range $90,000 - $180,000 per year)\nComprehensive health coverage, including medical, vision, and dental plans for individuals and families\n401(k) retirement plans with employee matching\nPaid Parental Leave\nLife and disability insurance\nCommuter benefits and subsidies\nProfessional growth and mentorship opportunities\n\nThis role is in-person at HyperLight's office in Cambridge, MA. Authorization to work in the US is required.\n\nHyperLight is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. HyperLight is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during our hiring process. If you need assistance or an accommodation, please contact us at HR@hyperlightcorp.com.","datePosted":"2026-08-29T11:18:13.069Z","dateModified":"2026-08-29T11:18:13.069Z","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Hyperlight","sameAs":"https://jobsearcher.com"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"Place","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","addressLocality":"Somerville","addressRegion":"MA","addressCountry":"US"}},"identifier":{"@type":"PropertyValue","name":"JobSearcher","value":"95eda75ba2cd5bdf8ad3a573"},"url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/95eda75ba2cd5bdf8ad3a573"}}