Director / Vice President Fab Engineering

The Vice President of Fab Engineering is a critical executive leader responsible for the strategic direction, operational execution, and technical capability of the entire semiconductor fabrication facility. This role oversees all Fab engineering disciplines-including Process Engineering, Process Integration, Equipment/Maintenance Engineering, and Yield Enhancement-to deliver world-class manufacturing metrics. The VP ensures the Fab scales efficiently to meet commercial revenue targets, manages annual CapEx and OpEx budgets, drives technology transfers from R&D to High-Volume Manufacturing (HVM), and cultivates a high-performance culture of engineering excellence., * Executive & Strategic Leadership: Define and execute the long-term technical roadmap for Fab operations, aligning engineering capabilities with corporate growth, product roadmaps, and business unit priorities (such as the CPBU).

• Operational Excellence & Profitability: Hold ultimate accountability for Fab operational performance metrics, including baseline wafer yield, factory cycle time, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and cost per wafer.
• Cross-Functional Engineering Alignment: Unify and direct all Fab engineering organizations (Process, Integration, Equipment, and Yield) to eliminate silos, accelerate New Product Introductions (NPI), and ensure seamless technology transfers.
• CapEx & Asset Management: Spearhead the Fab’s capital expenditure (CapEx) strategy, overseeing multi-million dollar tool procurement, facility expansions, cleanroom space optimization, and advanced capacity planning.
• Strategic Vendor & Joint Venture Relations: Lead executive-level negotiations and maintain strategic partnerships with primary semiconductor equipment manufacturers (OEMs), chemical/material suppliers, and external foundries.
• Quality & Risk Management: Establish and enforce comprehensive quality management systems (such as automotive-grade or aerospace standards if applicable), leading the Fab response to critical technical excursions or supply chain risks to guarantee 24/7 business continuity.
• Financial & Budgetary Oversight: Develop and manage the comprehensive annual operational budget (OpEx) for Fab engineering, identifying structural cost-reduction opportunities without sacrificing yield or quality.
• Talent Cultivation & Culture: Build, mentor, and scale a world-class engineering leadership team; drive workforce development programs, succession planning, and a culture centered on safety, data-driven accountability, and continuous improvement.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Provide executive direction to a senior leadership team, including Directors of Process Engineering, Process Integration, and Equipment Engineering.
• Oversee organizational design, headcount planning, and talent allocation for the entire Fab engineering ecosystem.
• Establish top-down organizational goals, performance tracking frameworks, and executive coaching for department heads., * Environment: Split between an executive office setting, boardrooms, and active time inside the cleanroom Fab facility.
• Fab Activity: Periodic inspections and walkthroughs of the Fab cleanroom environment; required to wear full cleanroom PPE (bunny suit) during Fab visits.
• Travel: Up to 25% travel anticipated for vendor evaluations, customer executive reviews, and industry conferences.

• Executive Gravitas & Communication: Exceptional ability to synthesize complex technical data into concise strategic insights for the Board, CEO, customers, and investors.
• Advanced Fab Management (HVM): Proven mastery of managing high-volume semiconductor manufacturing facilities, including deep understanding of silicon photonics, MEMS, or advanced CMOS nodes.
• Financial & Business Acumen: Advanced capability in managing large-scale budgets, calculating return on investment (ROI) for capital equipment, and executing cost of goods sold (COGS) reduction strategies.
• Strategic Collaboration: Mastery in building alignment and navigating competing priorities across Operations, R&D, Finance, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams.
• Change Management: Proven ability to lead large technical organizations through rapid scaling, structural transformations, and technological pivots., * Education: Master’s degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a highly related engineering/scientific discipline.
• Industrial Experience: 15+ years of progressive technical experience in semiconductor manufacturing, with a deep understanding of Front End (FEOL) and Back End (BEOL) processing.
• Leadership Experience: 7+ years in a senior director or executive-level role (e.g., Director of Fab Operations, Director of Integration/Process, or VP) directly managing multi-disciplinary engineering organizations within a 24/7 manufacturing environment.
• Track Record: Demonstrated success in scaling a semiconductor fabrication facility from low-volume R&D/prototyping into stable, profitable high-volume manufacturing., * PhD in a relevant engineering field with published contributions to semiconductor or photonics technology.
• Extensive experience with silicon photonics integration or advanced optical communication device manufacturing.
• Formal certifications in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma Executive Leadership, or advanced Project Management (PMP).

This position is located at a facility that operates under International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be ‘U.S. persons’ within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a ‘U.S. person’ as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e., ‘Green Card Holder’), Political Asylee, or Refugee.