Director of Indium Phosphide (InP) Wafer Fab Operations

Coherent•Sunnyvale, CA

15h•Onsite

About The Position

Provide strategic and operational leadership for all wafer fabrication activities, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing operations. Lead the startup, commissioning, qualification, and operational readiness of a new Indium Phosphide wafer fabrication facility. Develop and execute the manufacturing roadmap to support business growth, customer commitments, and capacity expansion. Establish operational metrics, production targets, and performance objectives aligned with corporate goals.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership experience in semiconductor wafer fabrication or advanced manufacturing.
Minimum of 8 years leading manufacturing operations, fab management, or operations engineering organizations.
Demonstrated experience leading semiconductor fab startup, production ramp, or significant capacity expansion initiatives.
Experience with compound semiconductor manufacturing, preferably Indium Phosphide (InP), Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), Silicon Photonics, or III-V semiconductor technologies.
Proven experience managing cross-functional organizations and large manufacturing teams.
Deep understanding of semiconductor wafer fabrication processes, equipment, and manufacturing systems.
Knowledge of lithography, etch, deposition, diffusion, implant, CMP, metrology, wafer testing, and process integration.
Experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), ERP systems, and factory automation.
Strong knowledge of statistical process control (SPC), Design of Experiments (DOE), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and yield improvement methodologies.
Proven ability to lead through organizational growth, change, and transformation.
Exceptional strategic planning and execution capabilities.
Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Excellent coaching, mentoring, and talent development abilities.
Ability to influence across all organizational levels, including executive leadership.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
Ability to communicate complex technical and operational information to executive leadership.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective cross-functional partnerships.
Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in engineering preferred, Business Administration (MBA), or related discipline.

Responsibilities

Lead production ramp activities from development through high-volume manufacturing.
Drive improvements in cycle time, throughput, equipment utilization, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), yield, and cost of ownership.
Implement Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and continuous improvement methodologies.
Monitor key manufacturing KPIs and implement corrective actions to ensure operational excellence.
Foster a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Ensure compliance with ISO standards, customer requirements, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
Lead root cause investigations and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) activities.
Maintain world-class product quality and manufacturing consistency.
Partner with Supply Chain to ensure material availability and production continuity.
Collaborate with Facilities to maintain reliable manufacturing infrastructure and utilities.
Work closely with Product Management, Sales, and Customer Quality to meet customer delivery expectations.
Provide regular operational updates to executive leadership regarding production performance, risks, and strategic initiatives.