Sr. Equipment Engineer

Seagate Technology•Bloomington, MN

10d•$94,140 - $134,625•Onsite

About The Position

The Equipment Engineering department is the backbone of Seagate's wafer manufacturing operation, producing the magnetic recording heads used in some of the world's most advanced hard disk drives. Our team ensures manufacturing equipment operates at peak performance, maximizing uptime, improving throughput, and minimizing scrap. By maintaining equipment in its optimal state, Equipment Engineering plays a critical role in helping Seagate meet the world's growing demand for data storage. The department combines deep equipment engineering expertise with advanced factory control systems and AI-driven solutions to monitor equipment in real time and enable automated decision-making. These technologies help transform Seagate's wafer operation into a smart factory. Equipment Engineering also works closely with manufacturing, process engineering, automation, quality, and other cross-functional teams to ensure the factory is positioned to achieve the highest levels of performance for years to come. Join Seagate and help deliver the data storage technology that powers the continued growth of AI and the world's increasing demand for data. This is a hands-on engineering role that balances equipment troubleshooting, continuous improvement projects, and data-driven decision-making. Successful candidates must be comfortable spending time on the factory floor diagnosing equipment issues, developing corrective actions, and driving long-term reliability improvements. The equipment supported in this role includes photolithography, electroplating, and metrology tools operating in a cleanroom environment. As a Senior Equipment Engineer, you will analyze large data sets using statistical and data analysis tools to identify opportunities for scrap reduction, throughput improvements, and downtime reduction. You will leverage AI-driven software solutions to automate equipment monitoring and develop advanced equipment health monitoring strategies. You will coordinate with multiple departments to install new equipment and implement upgrades or modifications that improve factory performance and reliability. Building strong relationships is critical to success in this role. You will work closely with technicians across multiple shifts, earning trust, providing technical leadership, and partnering to solve equipment issues and improve equipment performance. You will collaborate with Process Engineers, Yield Engineers, Manufacturing, Automation, and fellow Equipment Engineers to solve complex equipment issues, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and prevent repeat failures. The most successful candidates are technically strong, highly collaborative, and able to build productive working relationships across organizations while influencing without direct authority.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Information Technology, or a related engineering field and 5+ years of experience, or Master’s degree in the same fields and 3+ years of experience, or PhD and 0+ years of experience or equivalent education and experience.
Hands-on experience troubleshooting, repairing, and optimizing complex manufacturing equipment.
Experience with statistical analysis tools and methodologies such as JMP, Minitab, SPC, DOE, and Six Sigma.
Strong understanding of equipment performance, reliability engineering, and maintenance practices.
Experience utilizing equipment reliability and analysis methodologies such as Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Root Cause Analysis.
Experience implementing or supporting equipment control strategies, factory automation systems, or manufacturing execution systems (MES).
Demonstrated ability to analyze equipment data and drive improvements in uptime, reliability, productivity, and cost.
Strong electrical and mechanical troubleshooting skills.
Ability to systematically break down complex problems to identify root causes and implement long-term corrective actions.
Effective communication skills and ability to work well with people at all levels of the organization.
Ability to work in a fast-paced manufacturing environment where priorities can shift quickly.
Highly organized with an understanding of the importance of documentation, follow-through, and maintaining clear records.
Self-motivated and takes ownership of equipment performance.
Willingness to provide occasional off-shift support when needed.

Nice To Haves

Experience leveraging AI and machine learning tools to improve equipment performance, automate monitoring, or drive operational improvements.
Experience working in the semiconductor industry, particularly with photolithography, metrology, or other wafer fabrication equipment.
Experience with advanced problem-solving and continuous improvement methodologies such as DMAIC, Lean Manufacturing, TPM, or Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM).
Knowledge of robotics, motion control systems, PLCs, sensors, machine vision, and industrial networking.
Experience developing data visualization tools, dashboards, or automated monitoring solutions using SQL, Power BI, Python, or similar tools.
Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.

Responsibilities

Hands-on engineering role that balances equipment troubleshooting, continuous improvement projects, and data-driven decision-making.
Diagnose equipment issues, develop corrective actions, and drive long-term reliability improvements on the factory floor.
Support photolithography, electroplating, and metrology tools operating in a cleanroom environment.
Analyze large data sets using statistical and data analysis tools to identify opportunities for scrap reduction, throughput improvements, and downtime reduction.
Leverage AI-driven software solutions to automate equipment monitoring and develop advanced equipment health monitoring strategies.
Coordinate with multiple departments to install new equipment and implement upgrades or modifications that improve factory performance and reliability.
Work closely with technicians across multiple shifts, providing technical leadership and partnering to solve equipment issues and improve equipment performance.
Collaborate with Process Engineers, Yield Engineers, Manufacturing, Automation, and fellow Equipment Engineers to solve complex equipment issues, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and prevent repeat failures.