Physical Failure Analysis Lab Manager

About Business

Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL) is a greenfield venture of the Tata Group with expertise in manufacturing precision components.

Tata Electronics (a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd.) is building India’s first AI-enabled state-of-the-art Semiconductor Foundry. This facility will produce chips for applications such as power management IC, display drivers, microcontrollers (MCU) and high-performance computing logic, addressing the growing demand in markets such as automotive, computing and data storage, wireless communications and artificial intelligence.

Tata Electronics is a subsidiary of the Tata group. The Tata Group operates in more than 100 countries across six continents, with the mission 'To improve the quality of life of the communities we serve globally, through long term stakeholder value creation based on leadership with Trust.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of Physical Failure Analysis (PFA) engineers and technicians supporting semiconductor fab operations.
• Own and drive end-to-end physical failure analysis investigations, including sample preparation, analysis, root cause identification, and corrective actions.
• Review and approve PFA reports, ensuring accurate root cause determination and clear, actionable recommendations.
• Apply advanced physical FA techniques such as SEM, TEM, FIB, nanoprobing, delayering, and cross-sectioning to resolve complex failures.
• Collaborate with Process, Device, Reliability, Yield, and Customer teams to address yield loss, reliability issues, and customer returns.
• Establish and standardize best practices, methodologies, and workflows for physical failure analysis.
• Support new technology introduction, product qualification, and reliability improvement programs.
• Manage lab operations including tool utilization, capacity planning, maintenance, and external vendor coordination.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives (CIT) to enhance lab capability, throughput, and data quality.
• Present technical findings and recommendations to senior leadership and global stakeholders.
• Mentor and develop engineers and technicians, building strong technical capability within the team.
• Travel may be required.
  
  

Essential Attributes

• Strong leadership and team management skills
• Deep technical expertise in physical failure analysis
• Self-motivated with strong ownership and problem-solving mindset
• Ability to work across cross-functional and global teams
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Innovative mindset with focus on continuous improvement
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s /Master’s/ PhD in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field
• Strong understanding of semiconductor device physics and fabrication processes
• Expertise in physical failure analysis techniques such as SEM, TEM, FIB, delayering, and nanoprobing
• Familiarity with electrical failure analysis (EMMI, OBIRCH, LIVA, TIVA) is an added advantage
• Ability to work in cross-functional teams and drive projects to completion
  
  

Desired Experience Level

• 12–15+ years of experience in semiconductor industry with strong focus on physical failure analysis
• Minimum 5+ years of people management experience
• Hands-on experience in advanced FA tools and lab operations
• Proven track record in root cause analysis, yield improvement, and reliability enhancement
• Experience in lab setup, equipment planning, and vendor management is a plus