Senior Mechanical Engineer (Vacuum Chambers) – Eindhoven

Role description

You will own the mechanical design of a new semiconductor thin-film deposition platform. You will be responsible for turning the prototype of a vacuum chamber into a fab-ready ion- and plasma-based deposition system. You will take the lead on vacuum and thermal architecture, ion/plasma source mechanical integration, precision assemblies for the target, and substrate-handling systems with thermal control and motion.

You will be responsible for defining the chamber layout, materials, interfaces, pumping strategy, and access requirements needed to support plasma operation, process stability, and diagnostics. You will work hand-in-hand with the CTO, Plasma Engineers, and Materials Engineers to drive full-system decisions.

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 available

Equity: ESOP available, will be discussed individually

Work arrangement: 4 days on-site, 1 day hybrid

Work location: Eindhoven (High Tech Campus)

Salary range: €85k to €115k gross per year

Responsibilities

• Design the vacuum chamber from scratch, integrating deep knowledge of vacuum physics into its mechanical architecture.
• Own mechanical design of the full deposition platform: vacuum chamber, flanges, feedthroughs, source assemblies, and substrate fixtures.
• Take designs from concept through CAD, FEA, fabrication drawings, and hands-on assembly.
• Design source mechanical integration: precision assemblies, thermal interfaces, alignment features, and tolerances that hold at operating temperature.
• Lead chamber design for custom configurations: geometry, pumping ports, diagnostic access, and serviceability.
• Drive component selection and supplier relationships for vacuum components, motion stages, seals, and materials.

Main requirements

• Background from semiconductor equipment manufacturers (ideally Applied Materials, Lam Research, ASML, or similar).
• 5+ years of hands-on mechanical design experience with semiconductor vacuum equipment.
• Proven track record of designing vacuum systems from scratch, including vacuum chambers, flanges, seals, feedthroughs, and leak-tight interfaces.
• Solid fundamental understanding of vacuum physics.
• Practical understanding of materials behavior: thermal expansion, outgassing, vacuum compatibility, and surface finish.
• Experience managing relationships with suppliers and prototype workshops: overseeing parts design, parts procurement with external partners, validation, and assembly.
• Practical experience with GD&T and tolerance stack-up on assemblies with tight mechanical budgets.
• Excellent knowledge of mechanical design software (CAD, SolidWorks, or similar).
• Fluent English

Other requirements

• BSc or MSc in mechanical engineering, precision engineering, or a related field.
• Familiarity with kinematic design or wafer handling.

Nice to have, but not mandatory

• Experience with high-power plasma sources, ion sources, or electron-beam systems.

Benefits

• Support with relocation to Eindhoven (within reason)