Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations

MVC Resources; Johor Bahru; On-site; MYR 350,000 - 700,000; Full time

Job summary

Zohorecruit in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, seeks an exceptional Senior Director of Manufacturing Operations to lead the greenfield establishment and rapid scaling of a world-class semiconductor subsystem manufacturing footprint.

You will own end-to-end manufacturing, including facility layout, process definition, cleanroom operations, QA, and global production readiness, partnering with engineering, quality, and supply chain teams to deliver robust operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Electrical, or Mechatronics Engineering.
• 12–20 years of progressive experience in semiconductor equipment or high-purity component manufacturing.
• 5+ years in a senior manufacturing leadership role (Director/Head of Operations).
• Experience with precision assembly (welding, machining) and ISO Class 5/6 cleanrooms.
• Deep fluency in SEMI standards (F32, S2, S8) and ASME standards.
• Hands-on ERP/MRP experience (SAP/Oracle) and manufacturing analytics/Industry 4.0.

Responsibilities

• Greenfield leadership: establish manufacturing infrastructure, facilities, processes, and team.
• Define the roadmap for manufacturing scaling aligned with global growth.
• Own KPIs: output, yield, OTD, unit cost, labor productivity; report to executives.
• Ensure high-purity standards and compliance for semiconductor requirements.
• Lead validation & testing systems, FATs, and supplier quality integration.
• Drive Lean, 5S, and Six Sigma to maximize OEE and minimize waste.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Manufacturing leadership

Cleanroom operations

Welding & machining

ERP/MRP (SAP/Oracle)

Lean Six Sigma

Global stakeholder comms

Semiconductor standards

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechanical/Manufacturing/Industrial/Electrical/Mechatronics Engineering

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Job description

Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Our client is an ambitious and high-growth startup with a compelling vision for the future of high-purity gas and fluid delivery solutions. Positioned at the cutting edge of semiconductor infrastructure, they are currently establishing a world-class manufacturing footprint in Malaysia. As a visionary organization, they are seeking a strategic, hands-on executive to lead the greenfield establishment and rapid scaling of their operations for specialized semiconductor subsystems and precision-engineered fluid delivery components.

Mission

The Senior Director of Manufacturing Operations is a critical executive role responsible for the architecture, execution, and optimization of end-to-end manufacturing operations. This leader will ensure that production capabilities achieve world-class status in safety, quality, cost-efficiency, and delivery performance. Operating in an agile startup environment, the successful candidate will bridge deep technical expertise in high-purity fluid delivery with strategic operational leadership to drive industrialization, cleanroom excellence, and global production readiness.

Key Responsibilities

• 1. Strategic Operations & Scalability
  • Greenfield Leadership: Lead the complete establishment of manufacturing infrastructure, from facility layout and system implementation to process definition and team recruitment.
  • Operational Strategy: Define and own the roadmap for manufacturing scaling, aligning local operations with global company growth objectives and market demands.
  • KPI Ownership: Establish and monitor critical performance metrics, including production output, manufacturing yield, On-Time Delivery (OTD), unit cost, and labor productivity.
  • Executive Representation: Serve as the primary manufacturing authority in executive reviews, strategic board discussions, and high-stakes customer or regulatory audits.
• 2. Production Management & Technical Excellence
  • End-to-End Oversight: Manage the full production lifecycle, including incoming material inspection, precision machining, specialized welding, cleanroom assembly, and final testing.
  • Workflow Optimization: Implement robust production management systems, utilizing time studies, process mapping, and capacity planning to eliminate bottlenecks.
  • High-Purity Standards: Enforce stringent cleanliness protocols throughout the manufacturing chain to ensure compliance with specialized semiconductor requirements.
  • Material & Finish Integrity: Oversee compliance for high-grade alloys (e.g., 316L VIM-VAR, Hastelloy) and ensure Electropolish (EP) surface finish requirements meet the standard of $Ra \le 10 \mu in$.
  • Compliance Framework: Guarantee strict adherence to SEMI F19/F57, ASME B31.3, and ISO 9001/14001/45001 standards.
• 3. Testing, Validation & Quality Leadership
  • Validation Infrastructure: Lead the design and deployment of advanced production test systems, including high-pressure validation, Helium leak detection, and functional safety interlocks.
  • Zero-Defect Culture: Champion a culture of quality excellence through structured problem-solving methodologies such as 8D, RCCA, FMEA, SPC, and Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA).
  • Vendor Excellence: Oversee supplier quality engineering and lead Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) for critical production equipment and infrastructure.
  • Technical Bridge: Act as the manufacturing stakeholder for the transition of designs from R&D to high-volume mass production.
  • DFM/DFA Leadership: Spearhead Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) reviews to ensure products are optimized for cost and manufacturability.
  • Pilot & Ramp-up: Support prototype builds and pilot runs, validating processes to ensure a seamless and predictable production ramp-up.
• 5. Team Leadership & Organizational Growth
  • Talent Acquisition: Build and lead a high-performance, multidisciplinary team including Manufacturing Engineers, Production Supervisors, Quality Specialists, and Cleanroom Technicians.
  • Mentorship & Culture: Foster a culture of accountability, agility, and continuous improvement (Kaizen). Implement robust skill matrices and succession plans to develop next‑generation technical experts.
  • Lean Transformation: Drive the implementation of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, and Six Sigma initiatives to maximize Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and minimize waste.

Requirements

Education & Experience

Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Electrical, or Mechatronics Engineering.

Experience: 12–20 years of progressive experience within the semiconductor equipment or high-purity component manufacturing sector.

Leadership Track Record: Minimum of 5+ years in a senior manufacturing leadership role (Director or Head of Operations level).

Specialized Background: Proven expertise in precision assembly (welding, machining, leak testing) and high-specification cleanroom operations (ISO Class 5/6 environments).

Deep technical fluency in SEMI (F32, S2, S8) and ASME standards.

Hands‑on experience with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and the integration of manufacturing analytics/Industry 4.0 solutions.

Strategic mindset with the ability to pivot between high-level planning and shop‑floor execution.

Lean Six Sigma Green or Black Belt certification is highly preferred.

Strong command of English; ability to communicate complex technical strategies to global stakeholders.