Manufacturing Engineer

Wave Recruitment; North East; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Wave Recruitment is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Capacity Modeller for a high-volume wafer fab in the UK. You will own the fab capacity model, drive equipment purchases and staffing, and use WIP and equipment data to improve cycle time, line velocity, machine uptime and delivery performance.

You will collaborate with operations management, engineering and automation teams to optimise how WIP flows through the factory, supporting business decisions with capacity and cost analysis.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in semiconductor, electronics or automotive manufacturing, covering capacity modelling, operational optimisation and data analysis.
• Strong data analysis skills, including statistical analysis and modelling; advanced Excel.
• Lean/Six Sigma experience and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering plus 3 years' industry experience, or a proven track record driving continuous improvement in industry.
• Comfortable working in a cleanroom environment.

Responsibilities

• Maintaining the fab capacity model, keeping data integrity through engineering change control and regular contact with tool owners
• Running what-if analysis on business changes and advising which starts and mixes the factory can support, now and against the future order book
• Identifying the tools and moves needed to support shifts in starts mix
• Providing capacity and cost analysis to support decision making
• Developing and implementing solutions to problems affecting cycle time and delivery performance
• Collecting and validating data through stopwatch time studies and automation log analysis to measure the throughput impact of process changes
• Helping tool owners understand the capacity impact of process changes
• Estimating manufacturing cost, setting time standards and recommending tooling and process requirements
• Maintaining records and reporting systems, and providing information for management reviews of operational performance

Skills

Data analysis

Statistical analysis

Advanced Excel

Lean/Six Sigma

Structured problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Company mission: Manufacturing next-generation compound semiconductors from a purpose-built Class 100 facility in the UK.

Backed by significant government investment and a 10-year growth plan, the site is scaling up as part of an emerging semiconductor cluster in the North East.

Role Overview

You will provide manufacturing and industrial engineering support to a high-volume wafer fab as it ramps. That means owning the fab capacity model that drives equipment purchases and staffing, and using WIP and equipment availability data to improve cycle time, line velocity, machine uptime and delivery performance. You will work closely with operations management, engineering and automation teams to optimise how WIP flows through the factory.

What You'll Own

Capacity Modelling:

• Maintaining the fab capacity model, keeping data integrity through engineering change control and regular contact with tool owners
• Running what-if analysis on business changes and advising which starts and mixes the factory can support, now and against the future order book
• Identifying the tools and moves needed to support shifts in starts mix
• Providing capacity and cost analysis to support decision making

Cycle Time and Line Performance:

• Developing and implementing solutions to problems affecting cycle time and delivery performance
• Collecting and validating data through stopwatch time studies and automation log analysis to measure the throughput impact of process changes
• Helping tool owners understand the capacity impact of process changes

Operations Support:

• Working with engineering, manufacturing and planning on the release of new methods, flows and processes
• Estimating manufacturing cost, setting time standards and recommending tooling and process requirements
• Maintaining records and reporting systems, and providing information for management reviews of operational performance

What We're Looking For

• 2+ years in semiconductor, electronics or automotive manufacturing, covering capacity modelling, operational optimisation and data analysis
• Strong data analysis skills, including statistical analysis and modelling; advanced Excel
• Lean/Six Sigma experience and structured problem-solving methodologies
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering plus 3 years' industry experience, or a proven track record driving continuous improvement in industry
• Comfortable working in a cleanroom environment

Useful

• Strong communication and presentation skills, used to presenting operational performance to management