Covalent is a modern analytical services and engineering consulting company based in the San Francisco Bay Area (Sunnyvale). Our mission is to accelerate materials science innovation by serving as a problem-solving partner for technology leaders of all sizes and providing access to outstanding data generated quickly and cost-effectively.
- Covalent provides cutting-edge tools and expertise to equip our customers with the high-quality experimental data and insights they need to achieve their goals.
Role Overview
- Covalent Metrology is seeking a FIB/TEM Sample Preparation Engineer to support advanced semiconductor materials characterization and failure-analysis workflows. This role will be responsible for preparing high-quality TEM lamellae using Focused Ion Beam (FIB) systems while maintaining throughput, repeatability, and strict sample-quality requirements.
The engineer will work closely with TEM analysts, operations, and engineering teams to execute customer projects, develop preparation methods for challenging materials, and continuously improve sample-preparation quality, cycle time, and yield.
Key Responsibilities
- Perform FIB-based TEM sample preparation, including site targeting, protective deposition, trenching, lift-out, mounting, thinning, and final polishing.
- Interpret SEM/FIB images, device layouts, customer instructions, and target features to accurately locate regions of interest.
- Work with TEM analysts to correlate preparation quality with imaging and analytical results.
- Support development and qualification of new sample-preparation methods through structured experiments and DOEs.
- Participate in root-cause analysis and corrective actions for sample-preparation failures and redo events.
- Identify opportunities to improve throughput, automation, batching, consumable usage, and overall cycle time.
- Support high-volume production workflows while maintaining quality and customer delivery requirements.
Required Qualifications
- Hands-on experience operating FIB/SEM equipment.
- Understanding of ion-beam milling, SEM imaging, and electron microscopy fundamentals.
- Ability to independently manage multiple samples and priorities in a fast-paced laboratory environment.
- Strong documentation and communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Thermo Fisher Helios, Scios, or similar dual-beam FIB/SEM systems.
- Experience preparing semiconductor cross sections and site-specific TEM samples.
- Familiarity with low-kV polishing, low-damage preparation techniques, and artifact reduction.
- Familiarity with TEM/STEM analytical techniques such as EDS
- Experience working in a high-throughput commercial laboratory or semiconductor environment.
