Wafer Fab Supervisor

Semtech•City of Industry, CA

2d•$82,000 - $117,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Wafer Fab Supervisor leads process technicians and operators responsible for daily wafer fabrication operations across InP photonic device lines, including InP Buried Heterostructure (BH) DFB lasers and BH Gain Chips (GC). The role is accountable for safe, on-schedule, high-yield production across photolithography, PECVD, dry etch, wet etch, and metallization, including Mesa etch and MOCVD epitaxial regrowth support steps used to form the buried heterostructure. The Supervisor sets daily priorities, balances staffing and tool capacity, and maintains strict Process-of-Record (POR) discipline in a III-V cleanroom environment. Working with Process Engineering, Equipment Engineering, Quality, and Production Planning, the Supervisor drives throughput, cycle-time, and yield performance; directs escalation and root-cause responses for process excursions; and develops technicians and operators through coaching, training, and clear performance expectations to support reliable, high-volume manufacturing. The role may require flexibility to support engineering runs, excursions, or production needs outside standard shift hours. The position is onsite in Rowland, California. The description notes that duties may include other job-related tasks and that requirements may be reasonably modified to accommodate individuals with disabilities.

Requirements

8–12 years of experience in semiconductor or photonics wafer processing, including direct III-V/InP process experience.
2–3 years of experience in a lead, supervisory, or team leadership role in a wafer fab or similar high-volume manufacturing environment.
Hands-on production experience across photolithography, PECVD, dry etch, wet etch, and metallization, with direct III-V/InP experience in each.
Strong working knowledge of the complete III-V device wafer fab process flow, including the technical depth to supervise, troubleshoot, and cover photolithography, PECVD, dry etch, wet etch, metallization, and in-line metrology.
Ability to support any fab process area and cross-train and qualify technicians across modules to build flexible shift coverage.
Demonstrated ability to lead and develop technician and operator teams in a high-volume production environment.
Ability to manage throughput, cycle-time, and WIP targets and prioritize competing demands.
Working knowledge of SPC, root-cause analysis, and structured problem-solving methods.
Strong understanding of cleanroom, chemical, and process gas safety requirements.
Effective communication and collaboration with technicians, operators, engineers, planning, and management.
Proficiency with MES or lot tracking systems and standard office software.
Ability to work in a cleanroom environment for extended periods across multiple process bays.
Ability to work around acids, solvents, process gases, and precious metals while following safety procedures.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, materials science, chemistry, physics, or a related technical field preferred.
Associate degree with equivalent experience considered.

Responsibilities

Plan and direct daily wafer fab production across photolithography, PECVD, dry etch, wet etch, and metallization to meet weekly and monthly wafer-out, throughput, and cycle-time targets for InP BH DFB laser and BH GC products.
Set lot priorities and sequence hot lots, engineering wafers, and standard production lots in coordination with Production Planning to sustain high tool utilization.
Conduct shift handoffs and daily production meetings; track work-in-process, tool status, and line constraints to proactively resolve bottlenecks.
Coordinate tool downtime, preventive maintenance, and repair priorities with Equipment Engineering to protect production schedule adherence.
Oversee supplies, consumables, and chemical and gas inventory for fab areas, and escalate shortages that threaten the production schedule.
Review lot travelers, process records, and hold/release dispositions to ensure complete and accurate lot documentation.
Lead, schedule, and assign work to technicians and operators to maintain coverage across fab process areas and shifts.
Set performance expectations, provide coaching and feedback, complete performance reviews, and address performance and attendance issues in partnership with Human Resources.
Develop and maintain a training and certification program, including cross-training across lithography, thin film, etch, and metallization modules.
Participate in hiring, onboarding, and retention of fab technicians and operators.
Promote ownership, accountability, and open communication across the team.
Ensure adherence to POR, recipes, and work instructions; review SPC charts and out-of-control events with process owners to confirm timely corrective action.
Direct escalation and response for process excursions and drift, and partner with Process Engineering on root-cause investigations and verified corrective actions.
Monitor yield, defect, and rework trends and work with Process Engineering and Quality to prioritize improvements.
Support DOEs, process qualifications, and NPI process runs by scheduling resources and coordinating tool and lot availability.
Enforce EHS requirements for chemical, process gas, and precious metal handling, cleanroom protocols, and equipment lockout/tagout; lead safety briefings, incident reporting, and follow-up.
Ensure compliance with quality systems, document control, and training record requirements.
Lead continuous improvement projects to improve throughput, cycle time, yield, cost, and cleanroom efficiency.
Maintain accurate production metrics and communicate performance, risks, and resource needs to fab management.
Step in to support fab process areas and cross-train and qualify technicians across modules as needed.
Work in a cleanroom across multiple process bays and around chemicals, process gases, and precious metals using proper safety procedures.
Support engineering runs, excursions, or production needs outside standard shift hours when required.