Director of Process Engineering

Coherent•Sherman, TX

About The Position

The Director of Process Engineering supports and executes the process engineering strategy and technology roadmap across facilities. The role establishes operating procedures, process controls, governance, and accountability while accommodating legitimate site-specific requirements. It oversees technical OpEx and CapEx budgets, lifecycle risks, equipment procurement, and vendor performance. The position leads process optimization and continuous improvement using Lean Six Sigma to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), reduce cycle times, and eliminate waste. It works with Product Engineering and Process Integration Engineering to support production readiness, line balancing, product qualification, high-volume manufacturing, and appropriate technician coverage. It also advances automation, robotics, and Industry 4.0 capabilities, including Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), cloud data integration, and predictive maintenance. The Director provides organizational leadership and career development for process engineers and technicians, monitors performance through KPIs and analytics, and develops reporting and operating reviews that enable decisions and accountability. The role partners across manufacturing, site operations, program management, procurement, finance, engineering, quality, IT, commercial organizations, and business leadership to align process roadmaps with customer commitments, new product introduction (NPI), production ramps, and business objectives. It communicates significant process risks and drives timely recovery actions and corrective decisions. The role works in an office environment and a climate-controlled manufacturing facility, supporting a 24/7 manufacturing organization and providing support outside normal business hours when operational or business needs require. Travel domestically and internationally may be required. Depending on location, the position may be responsible for executing and maintaining applicable ISO and other quality or environmental management standards. Employees must follow site EHS procedures and Coherent Corp. Corporate EHS standards, and adhere to the company’s ICARE values.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Materials, or Electrical Engineering.
15+ years of progressive experience in advanced manufacturing, semiconductor photonics fabs, or processing plants.
At least 5+ years in senior leadership.
Demonstrated experience leading teams and cross-functional processes in a complex manufacturing environment.
Experience managing changing priorities and constrained resources while maintaining customer and business focus.
Proven success in leading and developing people and building high-performing teams.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, organizational, and decision-making skills.
Ability to influence across organizational boundaries and lead through ambiguity and changing priorities.
Ability to build an environment of continuous experimentation while maintaining strict change control and risk mitigation protocols.
Strong familiarity with advanced process diagnostics such as PFMEA, root-cause analysis, and statistical process control, and with data literacy platforms.
Ability to communicate effectively with operational teams, functional leaders, customers, and executive leadership.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required by business.
Ability to work effectively with a 24/7 manufacturing organization and provide support outside normal business hours when required.
Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods and occasionally move through manufacturing, warehouse, and logistics areas.
Follow applicable site EHS procedures and corporate EHS standards.

Nice To Haves

PhD degree.
Strong understanding of photonics process engineering and demonstrated experience resolving process issues during manufacturing.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and analytics/reporting tools such as Excel, Power BI, SQL, or comparable technologies.
Industry-specific expertise, such as semiconductor dry etch or wastewater treatment for infrastructure.

Responsibilities

Support and execute a comprehensive process engineering strategy and technology roadmap.
Establish standard operating procedures and process controls across facilities.
Oversee technical OpEx and CapEx budgets, lifecycle risks, equipment procurement, and vendor performance management.
Establish consistent processes, governance, and accountability across teams while recognizing site-specific operational requirements.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Six Sigma to maximize OEE, reduce cycle times, and eliminate waste.
Partner with Product Engineering to ensure production readiness, line balancing, and transitions from product qualification to high-volume manufacturing.
Collaborate with Process Integration Engineering to ensure process readiness with minimum technician coverage during high-volume manufacturing.
Drive advanced automation, robotics, and Industry 4.0 integration, including MES, cloud data integration, and predictive maintenance technologies.
Provide organizational leadership, mentorship, and career pipelines for process engineers and technicians.
Make organizational changes to continuously improve efficiency.
Drive timely recovery actions when execution deviates from plan and escalate issues requiring cross-functional or leadership decisions.
Balance near-term execution requirements with longer-term objectives.
Establish and monitor KPIs measuring team effectiveness, execution, and business performance.
Use data and analytics to identify process risk, capacity constraints, productivity opportunities, and root causes of team performance gaps.
Develop actionable reporting and operating reviews to support timely decisions and accountability.
Partner with Manufacturing and Site Operations, Program Management, Global Procurement, Finance, Engineering, Quality, IT, Commercial organizations, and business leadership.
Align process roadmaps and gap improvement plans with customer commitments, NPI and production-ramp requirements, and business objectives.
Coordinate with R&D, supply chain, production floor operators, and executive boards.
Communicate significant process risks to leadership and drive timely decisions and corrective actions.
Follow site EHS procedures and Coherent Corp. Corporate EHS standards.
Depending on location, execute and maintain applicable ISO and other quality or environmental management standards.
Adhere to Coherent Corp.’s ICARE values.