Job Purpose
The Vice President of Fab Engineering is a critical executive leader responsible for the strategic direction, operational execution, and technical capability of the entire semiconductor fabrication facility. This role oversees all Fab engineering disciplines—including Process Engineering, Process Integration, Equipment/Maintenance Engineering, and Yield Enhancement—to deliver on world-class manufacturing metrics. The VP ensures the Fab scales efficiently to meet commercial revenue targets, manages annual CapEx and OpEx budgets, drives technology transfers from R&D to High-Volume Manufacturing (HVM), and cultivates a high-performance culture of engineering excellence.
Essential Responsibilities
- Executive & Strategic Leadership: Define and execute the long-term technical roadmap for Fab operations, aligning engineering capabilities with corporate growth, product roadmaps, and business unit priorities (such as the CPBU).
- Operational Excellence & Profitability: Hold ultimate accountability for Fab operational performance metrics, including baseline wafer yield, factory cycle time, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and cost per wafer.
- Cross-Functional Engineering Alignment: Unify and direct all Fab engineering organizations (Process, Integration, Equipment, and Yield) to eliminate silos, accelerate New Product Introductions (NPI), and ensure seamless technology transfers.
- CapEx & Asset Management: Spearhead the Fab’s capital expenditure (CapEx) strategy, overseeing multi-million dollar tool procurement, facility expansions, cleanroom space optimization, and advanced capacity planning.
- Strategic Vendor & Joint Venture Relations: Lead executive-level negotiations and maintain strategic partnerships with primary semiconductor equipment manufacturers (OEMs), chemical/material suppliers, and external foundries.
- Quality & Risk Management: Establish and enforce comprehensive quality management systems (such as automotive-grade or aerospace standards if applicable), leading the Fab response to critical technical excursions or supply chain risks to guarantee 24/7 business continuity.
- Financial & Budgetary Oversight: Develop and manage the comprehensive annual operational budget (OpEx) for Fab engineering, identifying structural cost-reduction opportunities without sacrificing yield or quality.
- Talent Cultivation & Culture: Build, mentor, and scale a world-class engineering leadership team; drive workforce development programs, succession planning, and a culture centered on safety, data-driven accountability, and continuous improvement.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Provide executive direction to a senior leadership team, including Directors of Process Engineering, Process Integration, and Equipment Engineering.
- Oversee organizational design, headcount planning, and talent allocation for the entire Fab engineering ecosystem.
- Establish top-down organizational goals, performance tracking frameworks, and executive coaching for department heads.
Competencies
- Executive Gravitas & Communication: Exceptional ability to synthesize complex technical data into concise strategic insights for the Board, CEO, customers, and investors.
- Advanced Fab Management (HVM): Proven mastery of managing high-volume semiconductor manufacturing facilities, including deep understanding of silicon photonics, MEMS, or advanced CMOS nodes.
- Financial & Business Acumen: Advanced capability in managing large-scale budgets, calculating return on investment (ROI) for capital equipment, and executing cost of goods sold (COGS) reduction strategies.
- Strategic Collaboration: Mastery in building alignment and navigating competing priorities across Operations, R&D, Finance, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams.
- Change Management: Proven ability to lead large technical organizations through rapid scaling, structural transformations, and technological pivots.
