Director: Product Support and Field Service

Advantest • Lake Forest, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Advantest Test Solutions, Inc. (ATS) is seeking a Director of Product Support & Field Service for its Lake Forest, CA location. ATS is a key provider of electronic test systems for the semiconductor industry. This role involves managing global Product Support and Field Service Engineer teams, including technical leads and country-specific leads. The position requires close collaboration with operations, customer-facing, and technical teams to resolve equipment issues, manage customer warranty and service contracts, control costs for a profitable service model, and act as an ambassador for both internal and external customers. The role operates in a fast-paced, dynamic environment requiring adaptability to changing assignments. Frequent international travel is necessary to build and maintain relationships with customers, local support teams, and overseas subcontractors.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical/electrical/software engineering (Master’s degree preferred) or MBA with experience in technology support management.
• 10+ years of experience in an engineering support capacity.
• Prior management and/or program management experience is required.
• Must have thorough understanding of root cause analysis and troubleshooting.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and documentation skills.
• Must be able to function independently and possess high-level problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work comfortably with all levels of the organization.
• Ability to develop plans and manage small projects which may require some hands-on labor.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with semiconductor product development, testing and/or capital equipment development for semiconductors is a plus.
• An understanding of analog and digital electronics, electro-mechanical systems, mechanical robotics, AC/DC power controls and thermal control systems/chillers and refrigerants is a plus.
• Hands-on manufacturing/build experience is a plus.
• An ability to be productive and successful in an intense work environment.
• Fluency in an international language, specifically in Mandarin or Korean, is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Supervise worldwide teams of approximately 100 product support engineers, and in-house and 3rd party field support engineers.
• Partner with internal engineering and project management teams, and with the customer, to validate new initiatives in an engineering/design verification environment before deployment in high volume production.
• Ensure customer expectations and contract commitments are met or exceeded regarding site equipment availability and technical performance.
• Direct Product Support staff in identifying and resolving equipment failures and system malfunctions, including hardware and software.
• Conduct engineering assessments for diagnosing equipment failures and malfunctions using a data-driven approach.
• Draft or recommend test evaluation protocols for identifying functional problems and potential solutions.
• Coordinate the resolution of technical issues and the field implementation of product solutions.
• Develop and maintain reliability metrics, scorecards, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure and identify opportunities for reliability and cost improvements.
• Coordinate with product engineering and subcontracts management to develop changes to technical specifications for parts and components supplied by subcontractors for installed systems. May interact directly with subcontractor technical staff on design solutions.
• Manage the budget, costs, and 3rd party service provider contracts. Contribute to pricing estimates for profitable post-warranty service offerings.
• Support the development of field application manuals, field service bulletins, training manuals/course content, and special training requirements.
• Conduct serviceability feasibility studies for new product designs. May serve on cross-functional product development teams to ensure full consideration of product support and field maintenance needs.
• Recommend equipment modifications for existing systems to improve reliability and serviceability.
• Conduct audits of the Field Service network to ensure compliance with Advantest processes and procedures.
• Serve as a technical advisor to senior management on customer site performance issues related to equipment availability, staffing, and contract fulfillment.
• Perform domestic and international business travel, with up to 40% anticipated for overseas locations and customers.
• Perform all other duties as required.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director