Senior Certification Specialist

• Develop and maintain certification schemes for semiconductor fabrication equipment in accordance with ISO/IEC 17067 principles, specifying applicable SEMI Standards, normative requirements, testing/inspection methods, sampling rules, and decision rules.
  • Cook up and coordinate with SEMI technical committees and global standards working groups to align certification scheme requirements with current and emerging SEMI Standards.
  • Define and document evaluation procedures, including product sampling, type testing, factory inspection, and surveillance requirements for each scheme.
  • Maintain scheme documents through formal revision cycles and ensure traceability to underlying normative standards.

• Apply working knowledge of semiconductor capital equipment — including etch, CVD/PVD deposition, lithography, CMP, diffusion, implant, and metrology/inspection systems — to ensure certification scheme requirements are technically sound and industry-relevant.
  • Translate relevant SEMI Standards (including E, M, and S-series) into actionable conformity assessment criteria.
  • Evaluate technical equivalencies between global standards (IEC, SEMI, ANSI, ISO) where they bear on certification scope.
  • Engage fab operators, device makers (e.g., IDMs, foundries), and semiconductor equipment suppliers (e.g., OEMs) to understand certification requirements from an end-user perspective and incorporate requirements into scheme design.

• Serve as primary point of contact for member companies seeking certification, guiding applicants through the evaluation process from initial inquiry to certificate issuance.
  • Build and manage a qualified pool of technical experts and auditors to conduct product evaluations and factory assessments; provide orientation and ongoing calibration on SEMI scheme requirements.
  • Represent SEMI in industry forums, standards committee meetings, and regulatory discussions related to conformity assessment and product certification.
  • Develop training materials, webinars, and guidance documents to raise industry awareness of the SEMI Certification Program and its value proposition.
  • Collaborate with SEMI Business Development, Marketing, and Government Relations teams to promote program adoption and grow the certified product portfolio.

Qualifications

• Required:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
  • 7+ years of professional experience in conformity assessment, certification, quality systems, or standards-related roles, preferably in a technical industry.
  • Deep working knowledge of ISO/IEC 17065 (certification bodies for products/processes/services) and its implementation requirements.
  • Familiarity with ISO/IEC 17025 (testing and calibration laboratories) and ISO/IEC 17020 (inspection bodies) as they relate to supporting certification activities.
  • Demonstrated experience developing or auditing quality management system documentation (procedures, work instructions, records control).
  • Understanding of semiconductor device manufacturing processes and the role of capital equipment in the fab environment.
  • Excellent technical writing skills; ability to produce clear, unambiguous normative documents, procedures, and certification scheme specifications.
  • Strong project management capabilities with ability to manage multiple workstreams, stakeholder groups, and external timelines concurrently.

Skills

• Deep command of ISO/IEC 17065 and conformity assessment principles, with the ability to translate standards requirements into operational practice.

• Exceptional technical writing skills to produce normative scheme documents, QMS procedures, and certification guidance materials.

• Ability to work independently and drive complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives with minimal supervision.

• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage credibly with engineers, quality managers, and executives across the semiconductor supply chain.

• Self-starter with a proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.

• Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

• Collaborative team player who can work effectively across SEMI’s internal functions (Standards, Business Development, Marketing, Legal).

• Willingness to travel (15%) domestically and internationally for accreditation audits, standards meetings, and member engagements.

What success looks like

• SEMI achieves ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation on schedule, with a fully documented QMS and clean initial accreditation assessment.

• One or more certification schemes are published and operational, with member companies actively engaged in the evaluation process.

• A qualified network of auditors and accredited labs is established to support scheme delivery.

• Member companies and equipment OEMs recognize the SEMI Certification Mark as a credible, valued signal of product conformance.

• Stakeholder relationships are cultivated across device makers, equipment suppliers, and fab operators, driving broad adoption of the certification program.

Foundational Knowledge or Practical Experience

• Required:
  • Master’s degree or advanced coursework in a relevant engineering or science discipline.
  • Direct experience achieving ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation with ANAB, A2LA, or an equivalent IAF-recognized Accreditation Body.
  • Experience authoring certification schemes under ISO/IEC 17067 or analogous frameworks (e.g., IECEE CB Scheme, OSHA NRTL programs).
  • Active certification such as ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), ISO Lead Auditor (ISO 9001 or 17065), or RABQSA/Exemplar Global credentials.
  • Hands-on engineering or quality experience with semiconductor equipment OEMs (e.g., Applied Materials, Lam Research, ASML, KLA, Tokyo Electron) or IDMs/foundries.
  • Familiarity with SEMI Standards content, particularly E-series (equipment), M-series (materials), and S-series (safety) standards.
  • Experience working with trade associations, standards development organizations, or industry consortia.