From student to ASML engineer: “I test the machines that make microchips.”

Enriching, educational, great.

I grew a lot, both personally and academically. I already liked physics and maths in high school, but during my Master’s, I got to take that interest further. What I found most valuable was learning to think in a problem-solving way: breaking things down and figuring them out.

My master's thesis, for instance, was related to integrated optics. It involved creating miniature lasers, as tiny as a grain of sand, on a chip. One possible application of such an optical chip is gas or chemical sensing. When you put a material on top of the laser, it responds depending on the concentration of molecules in the material sample. So, I had to make a unidirectional laser. But how do I even start? How do I get the laser to work? I experimented in the cleanroom on campus, at the NanoLab, layering materials on chips and adding patterns with light. In the end, that wasn’t successful, but I managed to make working lasers on a chip, which was still a win.

My job is to test the performance of the ASML machines. I work on the deep ultraviolet lithography (DUV) machines, which print exceptionally fine patterns on wafers. My team is responsible for the final testing. After a machine prints the patterns, we analyse the data: are the lines straight, the right size, or off somehow? If the quality isn’t up to our standards, we need to understand which part of the machine has caused it. These machines consist of a wide range of parts, and finding the one that needs to be fixed is like solving a very complex puzzle. Sometimes, I see myself as an FBI agent looking for the culprit. So, a big part of my job is talking with people from different teams to figure out the issue.

ASML is a world-renowned company, and I help maintain the quality of the machines that manufacture microchips. Knowing that I am solving such complex problems and contributing to the global semiconductor industry keeps me committed. I also enjoy working in my team: everyone wants to do their best, and we all take ownership of what we do.

I saw the job vacancy on LinkedIn. They were looking for someone with a physics background, and I was just about to graduate, so I applied. During the recruitment process, I didn’t know how highly competitive it was. I was pretty relaxed in the interviews. Later, I found out that only 50 people made it to interviews, and fewer than 10 got hired. I believe it worked in my favour that I didn’t know it then. Otherwise, I might not have been that relaxed, and who knows, I might not have gotten the job.

My specialisation in Applied Nanophotonics was very useful because I learned how light behaves in machines like the ones I work with. But, to be honest, the most useful skill I gained is learning quickly. This is essential in my day-to-day work. The machines are too complicated to understand on my own, so I communicate with a lot of specialists, ask questions, and solve problems together.

At first, I was thrown into a completely different world. I had to learn the “ASML language”: how they work with data, and how the organisation functions. Finding the right person with the right knowledge is like navigating a maze, but I am learning to be resourceful.

In the near future, I will be balancing motherhood and work. But in the long term, I am interested in moving towards a more people-oriented role, such as a scrum master, making sure a team stays effective and motivated, or a project manager.

A lot of students think they should land their dream job right after graduation, and if they don’t, they have failed. I think they should change that mindset. Try different things, and even if a job isn't perfect, you will learn what you like and what you don’t, and that is valuable.