Lead Automation Engineer

Rotterdam Innovation City; Delft; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Pension plan

Hybrid work setup

Personal growth budget

Team events

Job summary

QuantWare is seeking a Lead Automation Engineer to establish and lead the fab automation and manufacturing systems function at its Kilofab. You will define equipment connectivity, MES workflows, and data-driven manufacturing operations, partnering with Process Engineering, Manufacturing, Facilities, IT, and Equipment Engineering teams.

You will lead a team, recruit key resources, and manage vendor relationships to deliver automation solutions for traceability, production control, and real-time

Qualifications

• Must have 7+ years of experience in semiconductor manufacturing automation
• Experience with SECS/GEM communication standards
• Experience with MES systems in manufacturing environments
• Strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration
• Experience in greenfield facility build or major fab expansion
• Experience leading small technical teams

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain fab automation roadmap
• Lead equipment integration into manufacturing environment
• Define MES workflows and ensure MES integration with equipment
• Support data collection, storage, and analytics for manufacturing
• Build and lead the fab automation and manufacturing systems team
• Recruit and manage Automation Engineers and MES Specialists
• Coordinate projects from specification through deployment and commissioning

Skills

Automation Engineering

Manufacturing Systems

Team Leadership

Vendor Management

Project Management

Communication

Data Analytics

Process Monitoring

MES Workflows

Equipment Integration

Education

BSc/MSc/PhD in Engineering/CS

Tools

SECS/GEM

MES Platforms

Cloud-based Data Platforms

Job description

About Us

QuantWare is building the world’s most powerful quantum processors to solve humanity's greatest challenges. We do this with our unique VIO™ technology, the only QPU architecture that breaks the hardware barriers that have held quantum computing back, unlocking the path to MegaQubit quantum processors.

With VIO, we are paving the way for the hyper-scale quantum computers that will change the world. And delivering on that vision demands people who don’t shy away from tackling the hardest challenges of our time. That’s where you come in!

QuantWare is building a next-generation 200 mm (8-inch) quantum device fabrication facility ("Kilofab") and assembly facility to enable industrial-scale manufacturing of superconducting quantum processors. We are seeking a Lead Automation Engineer to establish and lead the factory automation and manufacturing systems function. This role defines how manufacturing equipment, metrology systems, test platforms, and factory software systems are integrated to support efficient, traceable, and data-driven manufacturing operations. The role combines technical leadership, project execution, vendor management, and team development.

What you'll be doing

Fab Automation & Manufacturing Systems

• Define and maintain the fab automation roadmap.

• Develop the overall architecture for equipment connectivity and manufacturing data collection.

• Ensure manufacturing systems support traceability, production control, process monitoring, and operational reporting.

• Work closely with Process Engineering, Manufacturing, Facilities, IT, and Equipment Engineering teams to ensure successful implementation of automation solutions.

Equipment Integration

• Lead integration of process, metrology, and test equipment into the manufacturing environment.

• Define equipment automation requirements during tool selection and procurement.

• Establish and maintain equipment communication standards using SECS/GEM, and vendor-specific interfaces/APIs.

• Ensure collection of equipment status, process data, alarms, events, and metrology/test results.

Manufacturing Execution System (MES)

• Support the selection, implementation, and operation of the MES platform.

• Define MES workflows and business requirements.

• Ensure integration between MES and manufacturing equipment.

• Support implementation of lot tracking, genealogy, recipe management, dispatching, and production reporting.

• Act as the primary business owner for MES within the fab.

Manufacturing Data & Analytics

• Define requirements for manufacturing data collection and storage (equipment, process, sensor, metrology, probe/test).

• Support implementation of manufacturing databases, historians, and cloud-based data solutions with appropriate security and governance.

• Work with internal teams and external partners to establish reporting and analytics capabilities.

• Enable visibility into key manufacturing metrics (yield, throughput, cycle time, equipment utilization, production performance).

Process Monitoring & Factory Control

• Support implementation of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Fault Detection & Classification (FDC) capabilities.

• Collaborate with process engineering teams to improve process monitoring and excursion management.

• Ensure manufacturing data availability to support yield improvement and continuous improvement initiatives.

Team & Vendor Management

• Build and lead the fab automation and manufacturing systems team.

• Recruit and manage key resources (Automation Engineers, MES Application Specialists, Manufacturing Systems Engineers).

• Manage relationships with software suppliers, equipment vendors, and system integration partners.

• Coordinate automation-related projects from specification through deployment and commissioning.

Your Profile

Must Have

• BSc/MSc/PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, Automation, Semiconductor Manufacturing, or related field.

• 7+ years of experience in semiconductor manufacturing automation, equipment integration, or manufacturing systems.

• Experience working with semiconductor equipment integration and automation.

• Practical knowledge of SECS/GEM communication standards.

• Experience with MES systems in a manufacturing environment (implementation support or operations).

• Understanding of manufacturing data flows, traceability, and production control.

• Experience managing technical projects involving multiple stakeholders and vendors.

• Strong communication and leadership skills.

• Experience in greenfield facility build or major fab expansion.

• Experience building and leading small technical teams.

Good to Have

• Experience supporting MES implementation projects end-to-end.

• Experience with SPC and/or FDC systems.

• Experience integrating semiconductor metrology and test/probe equipment.

• Familiarity with cloud-based manufacturing data platforms and basic ETL concepts.

• Experience in quantum, superconducting, photonics, MEMS, or other advanced technology manufacturing.

We know great candidates don't always follow a straight path, and we value diverse experience, perspectives, and ways of thinking. If this role excites you and you believe you can make an impact, we'd love to hear from you!

What We Offer:

At QuantWare, you’ll be part of a high-performing team of world-class experts in an ambitious, fast-moving environment. From day one, you’ll have the trust, tools, and support to do your best work. Here’s what you can expect:

Competitive salary - A salary that reflects the impact and importance of the role (and of course 8% holiday allowance)

Pension that’s built to last - A generous and future-proof pension plan that includes partner and dependent coverage.

Flexibility built on trust - We focus on outcomes. Work flexibly, in a hybrid setup, with an open vacation policy that lets you manage your time

Personal growth - We invest in your L&D, with a budget available to each team member, dependent on their individual ambitions, development needs, and performance

A connected team - We make space to celebrate wins together, with team events, offsites, and spontaneous moments that bring us closer

Diversity & Inclusion at QuantWare

We’re an ambitious company, not only for our goals but also to become an even more diverse and inclusive team. We know this helps us with better decisions, more innovation, and strengthens our culture. In particular, we’d love to see more women in the quantum industry!

So if you’re a female talent, excited about this opportunity but don’t meet every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply.

As part of our recruitment process, candidates may be required to undergo pre-employment screening.