Technical Curriculum Developer (Semiconductor)

Technical Curriculum Developer (Semiconductor)

Department: National Program

Reports To: VP, Curriculum Development & Operations

Location: Remote, EST (5–10% travel for site research and shadowing)

Employment Type: Temporary 6 months

Who We're Looking For

We are seeking a technically-minded Technical Curriculum Developer to design, build, and maintain scalable training solutions for skilled trades in semiconductor manufacturing (wafer fabrication, assembly/test, and packaging) and advanced manufacturing.

This is a role for a technical translator: someone who can deconstruct complex semiconductor process and equipment systems and rebuild them into structured, high-quality learning modules. You bring a strong foundation in electrical, instrumentation, and PLC/controls systems, with working familiarity in vacuum technology, gas and chemical delivery, and the integrated mechanical systems that keep a fab running. You are not just a writer; you understand how fab tools and facility systems operate, and how to teach others to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot them in a cleanroom environment.

What You'll Do

Curriculum Design and Content Development (70%)

•     Module Creation: Build interactive digital learning modules in Articulate 360 (Storyline/Rise) and Google Workspace, fully integrated into Canvas LMS.
•     Technical Documentation: Develop instructor manuals, lesson plans, facilitation guides, and learner workbooks with clear, step-by-step instructions for complex tasks such as wafer handling, tool preventive maintenance (PM), and process troubleshooting.
•     Visual & Multimedia Aids: Create technical diagrams, videos, animations, and interactive demonstrations that help learners visualize unseen processes such as plasma etch, thin-film deposition, vacuum behavior, and gas/chemical flow.
•     Hands-on Lab Design: Design practical lab exercises, diagnostic tests, and performance-based assessments for electrical, vacuum, and equipment-maintenance tasks, with rigorous cleanroom and hazardous-materials safety documentation.
•     Curriculum Architecture: Translate technical competencies into modular, progressive skill-building sequences, moving from foundational theory (semiconductor basics, fab process flow) to advanced equipment and process troubleshooting.

Curriculum Maintenance & Feedback (20%)

•     Continuous Improvement: Synthesize feedback from learners, instructors, and field/fab SMEs to identify pain points and drive rapid curriculum iteration.
•     Content Lifecycle Management: Manage the update cycle for existing modules, adding, updating, or removing content based on changing industry standards, tool generations, and market signals.
•     Governance & Version Control: Maintain meticulous version control and technical documentation to ensure site-to-site consistency across national programs.

Program Support & Collaboration (10%)

•     Instructor Enablement: Develop instructor onboarding materials and resource libraries, including technical reference sheets and troubleshooting guides for trainers.
•     Cross-Functional Support: Assist with program descriptions and technical marketing materials for recruitment and external partnership engagement.

What You'll Bring

Experience

•     1–3 years in technical instructional design or technical training content creation.
•     1–3 years in electrical, electromechanical, or equipment-maintenance roles in semiconductor fabs, advanced manufacturing, or comparable high-tech industrial environments.
•     Strong technical background, with the ability to grasp and convey highly technical subject matter.
•     Strong communication skills, including the ability to respond clearly in live digital sessions (e.g., Zoom) or in-person training environments.

Technical and Industrial Expertise

• Electrical & Controls (Priority): Demonstrable understanding of electrical systems, instrumentation, and PLC logic and troubleshooting, including the controls and RF power systems found on process tools.
• Semiconductor Process & Equipment Familiarity: Hands-on experience or deep technical familiarity with:
  • Front-End Process Tools: Photolithography (steppers/scanners/track), plasma and reactive-ion etch, thin-film deposition (CVD, PVD, ALD, epitaxy), ion implantation, diffusion/oxidation furnaces, CMP, and wet-process/clean benches.
  • Vacuum Systems: Roughing and high-vacuum pumps (dry, turbo, cryo), chambers, gauges, and leak detection/troubleshooting.
  • Gas & Chemical Delivery: Bulk and specialty gas systems, gas cabinets and valve manifold boxes (VMBs), mass flow controllers, and slurry/chemical distribution for hazardous, pyrophoric, and corrosive materials.
  • Metrology & Inspection: Measurement, defect inspection, and test equipment used to qualify wafers and tools.
  • Automation & Wafer Handling: Robotics, EFEM/load ports, and equipment automation/communication (e.g., SECS/GEM concepts).
  • Facility & Sub-Fab Infrastructure: Ultrapure water (UPW), process cooling water, exhaust abatement and scrubbers, chillers, HVAC and cleanroom environmental controls, and basic pneumatic/hydraulic controls.
  • Cleanroom & Contamination Control: Cleanroom protocols, gowning, ESD control, and contamination/particle management.

Instructional Design and Professional Skillset

•     Software Stack: Associate-level proficiency in Articulate 360 and Canvas LMS; high proficiency in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides).
•     Communication: Exceptional written communication, with a proven ability to simplify expert-level technical jargon into teachable, structured content.
•     Safety Mindset: Solid understanding of industrial and semiconductor-specific safety standards and regulations (e.g., OSHA, NFPA 70E, hazardous gas/chemical handling, and SEMI guidelines such as S2/S8).

Preferred Qualifications

•     Professional certifications in semiconductor, maintenance, electrical, vacuum, or industrial safety disciplines (e.g., SACA Industry 4.0 Associate/Specialist, SMRP CMRT, NIMS Industrial Maintenance, OSHA 10/30, NFPA 70E).
•     Instructional design or eLearning certifications (e.g., ATD Instructional Design Certificate, university-based ID certificates, Articulate 360 training, Canvas Certified Educator – Course Design).
•     Experience with virtual labs, AR/VR simulations, or SCORM/xAPI content development.
•     Familiarity with competency-based education (CBE) and national credentialing frameworks.

Personal Characteristics

• Learner-Centered Mindset: You design for the learner, not the content. You ask 'What does the learner need to DO?' not just 'What do they need to KNOW?'
• Strategic Leader: You can zoom out to see the big picture while maintaining attention to instructional design details
• People Developer: You invest in growing other designers and take pride in their success
• Design Thinking: You approach problems creatively, iterate based on feedback, and balance innovation with practicality
• Collaborative Spirit: You work effectively with SMEs, developers, and stakeholders who may not have design expertise
• Quality Advocate: You have high standards for instructional quality and can articulate why design decisions matter
• Mission-Driven: You are passionate about economic mobility and believe education can transform lives
• Data-Informed: You use learner data and outcomes research to validate design decisions
• Continuous Learner: You stay curious about new instructional approaches and are willing to experiment

Compensation 

For this role specifically, we are targeting a salary range of $40 - $50/hour where the difference in salary is typically determined by several factors, including geography in which the selected candidate resides, and alignment with qualifications and experience.