Principal Research Engineer, Smart Operation and Planning (FAB), IME

A*STAR RESEARCH ENTITIES; Singapore; On-site; SGD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research entity in Singapore seeks a visionary leader to spearhead smart factory initiatives. This role demands a proven track record in Industrial Engineering, with responsibilities including the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies, operational process optimization, and workforce development. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in semiconductors, strong leadership skills, and expertise in continuous improvement methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma. This position offers a unique opportunity to drive digital transformation in manufacturing operations.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in the semiconductor environment.
• Proven records in Industrial Engineering and Operations Management.
• Strong presentation and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Champion the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies.
• Develop a strategic roadmap to digitize and automate manufacturing processes.
• Lead the design and optimization of shopfloor layouts for maximum efficiency.

Skills

Leadership

Data Analytics

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Project Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or related field

Job description

The ideal candidate is a visionary leader with a proven track record of driving continuous improvement and implementing smart factory initiatives. This individual will spearhead the transformation of our operations systems, ensuring they are agile, data-driven, and efficient. The role encompasses end-to-end ownership of Industrial Engineering (IE), Operations Planning & Control, Cleanroom layout efficiency, Operations Process Optimization, and Workforce Training & Development.

Key Responsibilities

• Champion the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies, including IoT, AI/ML, Data Analytics, AMRs, and Digital Twins.
• Develop and drive a strategic roadmap to digitize and automate manufacturing processes, improving visibility, predictability, and control.
• Oversee the time studies, workload analysis, and capacity modelling using digital tools. Utilize data analytics to identify bottlenecks, reduce waste (using Lean/Six Sigma principles), and improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Lead the design and optimization of shopfloor layouts for maximum efficiency, flow, and flexibility. Plan and execute tool rearrangements or new line installations/relocation with minimal operations disruption.
• Establish and optimize standard operating procedures (SOPs), standard times, and operations standards.
• Ownership for key performance indicators (KPIs) such as wafer move, DPML, On-Time Delivery, Schedule Attainment.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives (Kaizen) to enhance productivity, quality, safety and operational excellence.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive training curriculum to upskill the workforce for the smart factory environment internally across all departments for fab introduction and externally to support IHLs programs.
• Co‑work and partner with Program teams and APMs to enable wafer moves to meet timeline and developing automation flow to enable faster speed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related field
• Preferable 10+ years of experience in the semiconductor environment, proven records in Industrial Engineering, Production Control, Facility Layout, and Operations Management.
• Strong leadership, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the proven ability to influence and align technical and executive stakeholders.
• Preferable experience in leading smart manufacturing or digital transformation projects, strong expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Continuous Improvement methodologies
• Preferable experience in a greenfab or brownfab expansion/ramp environment.