Director, Assembly & Test Operations — Advanced Semiconductor Capital Equipment

Lead the Build of Breakthrough Semiconductor Tools

We’re partnering with an established, innovation‑driven manufacturer of advanced semiconductor capital equipment to hire a Director of Manufacturing Operations. You’ll own factory execution from sub-assembly through final test, elevating output, quality, and delivery performance for sophisticated, low‑volume/high‑mix systems.

What You’ll Lead

• Oversee daily operations across sub-assembly, full system build, integration, and final acceptance test.
• Own on‑time shipments, first‑pass yield, product quality, and adherence to production schedules and customer commitments.
• Translate business goals into a scalable manufacturing strategy aligned to demand and growth.
• Remove bottlenecks, balance resources, and resolve operational constraints to maintain consistent throughput.
• Institutionalize performance metrics and structured problem-solving to drive accountability and decisive action.
• Align capacity, staffing, and material readiness to production plans.

How You’ll Drive Performance

• Build and manage operating budgets, labor utilization models, and production cost targets.
• Report on output, shipment-driven revenue performance, overhead, OpEx, and capacity utilization with clear narratives and data.
• Present factory results, risks, and corrective roadmaps to senior leadership.
• Continuously identify cost, resource, and productivity improvements.
• Support strategic planning through capacity assessments, operational forecasting, and data‑driven recommendations.

Team & Culture

• Lead and develop managers, supervisors, engineers, technicians, and operations support.
• Foster a culture of ownership, urgency, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Assess organizational capability, close leadership gaps, and implement development plans.
• Make timely decisions to resolve performance issues and operational challenges.
• Champion a high‑performance culture grounded in safety, quality, and customer satisfaction.
• Partner effectively with engineering, quality, supply chain, and the executive team.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Model proactive safety practices and compliance with relevant manufacturing and quality standards.
• Improve product quality, consistency, first‑pass yield, and customer outcomes.
• Lead root-cause and corrective action using 8D, Lean, Six Sigma, and SPC.
• Execute CI roadmaps focused on cycle‑time reduction, efficiency, waste elimination, and scalability.
• Drive upstream quality to catch and fix issues earlier in the process.
• Maintain ISO certifications and the quality management system.

Manufacturing Engineering & Process Optimization

• Collaborate with engineering to enhance manufacturability, assembly flow, and test effectiveness.
• Advance test strategies: modular testing, parallel execution, and automation.
• Cut final system test cycle times while safeguarding stringent quality standards.
• Enable NPI, engineering changes, and production transitions with robust readiness plans.
• Work with global suppliers and contract manufacturers to meet demand and performance targets.
• Lead insourcing/outsourcing and production transfers when needed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, Physics, Operations Management, or related technical field.
• 5+ years total in manufacturing/operations and 5+ years leading manufacturing operations within the semiconductor capital equipment sector.
• Hands‑on leadership over assembly, integration, testing, and shipment of complex capital equipment.
• Direct accountability for factory output, schedule adherence, shipment performance, and quality.
• Financial acumen across budgets, labor/overhead, capacity planning, and production financials.
• Executive‑level communication of results, risks, and strategy.
• History of building high‑performing teams in demanding environments.
• Expertise in Lean, structured problem‑solving, QMS, and data‑driven improvement.
• Decisive leader who drives accountability and effective decision‑making.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in semiconductor processing or precision capital equipment manufacturing.
• Leadership experience over ~100‑person organizations with multiple manager direct reports.
• Proven Lean/Six Sigma/Value Stream Mapping and CI program implementation.
• Experience with SAP, MES, and advanced manufacturing analytics.
• Demonstrated cycle‑time reduction, throughput improvement, and automated/modular final test deployment.
• Applied DfM in partnership with engineering/product development.
• Experience with international supply chains, global suppliers, and contract manufacturing.
• Familiarity with NPI, manufacturing transfer, and scaling production.

Ideal Profile

A results‑oriented operations leader who blends deep technical manufacturing knowledge with operational discipline and sound business judgment. You thrive in low‑volume/high‑mix environments, elevate factory performance, and develop accountable teams. You’re equally effective on the floor and in the boardroom—communicating results, solving issues, and coaching leaders.

Location & Travel

• Onsite leadership role in San Jose, California.
• Occasional domestic/international travel.

Core Strengths

• Leadership/People Management; Bachelor’s Degree
• Cost Accounting; Cost Allocation; Financials; Revenue
• Lean Manufacturing Principles; Value Stream Mapping; Cycle‑Time
• Production Planning & Scheduling; Factory Ownership; Operations
• Supply Chain Management; Sourcing & Procurement
• Assembly; Capital Equipment; Complex Equipment; Semiconductor Experience; Test; Tooling; Physics
• SAP; Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Tools & Technologies

• Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
• Capital Equipment
• SAP
• Complex Equipment