Senior Chemist, Technical Laboratory Operations at Entegris, Inc. — Austin, TX

Job Title:

Senior Chemist, Technical Laboratory Operations

Job Description

The Role

Entegris is currently seeking a Senior Chemist, Technical Laboratory Operations to join our Analytics & Metrology, Trace Metals team. This position will be based in our Burnet facility.

In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring reliable, high-throughput analytical metrology in a production laboratory supporting semiconductor-grade precursors and wet chemical cleans. This role focuses on measurement execution, data quality, contamination control, and instrument performance to ensure materials consistently meet stringent semiconductor specifications. The position plays a key role in maintaining analytical readiness, resolving production-related issues, and ensuring measurement systems remain stable, precise, and audit-ready.

What You’ll Do

• Perform and oversee routine trace metals analysis of semiconductor chemicals using ICP-MS and ICP-OES
• Analyze and interpret ultra-trace metal impurity data at ppb–ppt levels for production release
• Review and approve analytical results, ensuring conformance to tight product specifications
• Ensure consistent achievement of detection limits and sensitivity requirements for key metallic contaminants
• Conduct all work in cleanroom or clean-controlled environments, following strict contamination control protocols
• Enforce best practices for ultra-clean sample handling, preparation, and transfer
• Minimize environmental and cross-contamination sources (labware, reagents, gases, operator technique)
• Ensure proper gowning, materials handling, and workflow discipline aligned to semiconductor standards
• Serve as primary technical expert for ICP-MS and ICP-OES systems in a production environment
• Maintain instrument performance including tuning, calibration, interference control, and drift management
• Perform advanced troubleshooting of sensitivity loss, background contamination, and instrument instability
• Ensure system suitability, QC checks, and performance benchmarks are consistently met
• Support preventive maintenance and coordinate repairs to maximize instrument uptime
• Monitor and maintain measurement system stability, precision, and reproducibility
• Apply statistical tools (SPC, trending, control charts) to detect shifts in analytical performance
• Investigate out-of-spec (OOS), out-of-trend (OOT), and excursion events related to metals analysis
• Ensure methods remain fit-for-purpose without introducing unnecessary variability
• Support real-time production decisions through rapid and reliable metals data
• Lead analytical investigations into contamination events affecting product quality or customer returns
• Partner with manufacturing and quality teams to identify root causes of metal contamination
• Provide clear technical interpretation of results to support dispositioning decisions
• Ensure compliance with semiconductor customer requirements, ISO 17025 (if applicable), and SEMI standards
• Maintain and follow SOPs, test methods, and data review procedures specific to metals analysis
• Ensure full adherence to data integrity principles (ALCOA+)
• Support audits and customer inquiries related to trace metals measurement capability
• Evening and weekend support as needed to support lab chemists and laboratory operations

What We Seek

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Materials Science, or related field (advanced degree preferred)
• 7+ years of experience in trace metals analysis, preferably in high-purity or semiconductor environments
• Deep expertise in ICP-MS (required) and ICP-OES (required) operation and troubleshooting
• Strong experience working at ultra-trace detection levels (ppt–ppb)
• Hands-on experience in cleanroom or contamination-controlled laboratory environments

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting semiconductor materials (precursors, acids, solvents, cleans)
• Familiarity with interference mitigation techniques (collision/reaction cell, spectral correction, matrix effects)
• Experience with clean chemistry techniques (acid purification, low-metal labware practices)
• Familiarity with SEMI standards and semiconductor customer purity expectations
• Experience with LIMS and SPC tools for production data management

Why Work at Entegris

Lead. Inspire. Innovate. Define Your Future.

Not everyone who works for a global company shares the same background, experiences and perspectives. We leverage the differences of our employees to bring new ideas to the table. Every employee throughout the company is encouraged to share input on projects and initiatives. Our decision-making process is truly a collaborative effort as we realize there are leaders at every level of the organization. We put our values at the core of how we operate as an organization — not just when it’s convenient, but in a lasting and meaningful way. We want the time and energy you spend here to have a positive impact on your life inside and outside of the office.

What We Offer

• Generous 401(K) plan with an impressive employer match
• Excellent health, dental and vision insurance packages to fit your needs
• Flexible work schedule and 11 paid holidays a year
• Paid time off (PTO) policy that empowers you to take the time you need to recharge
• Education assistance to support your learning journey
• Values-driven culture with colleagues that rally around People, Accountability, Creativity and Excellence