Operations Leader

advantestcareers; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Advantest is seeking an Operations Leader to oversee Mechanical Assembly and Service Center Operations. You will drive manufacturing execution, depot repair, refurbishment, logistics, quality, and customer delivery performance while advancing operational excellence.

You will collaborate with Engineering, Supply Chain, Customer Engineering, Product Management, and Sales to build a high-performance culture focused on accountability and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline is required.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, operations, service, or industrial environments.
• 5+ years leading managers, supervisors, and cross-functional teams.
• Experience with electromechanical assembly, manufacturing operations, or service depot operations.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations of Mechanical Assembly and Service Center functions to meet production, quality, and delivery targets.
• Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with growth objectives and customer requirements.
• Establish metrics and management systems to monitor performance and drive accountability.
• Staff, train, and develop the organization; plan succession to support business needs.
• Foster safety, quality, teamwork, and continuous improvement across the operation.
• Direct mechanical assembly activities and optimize workflows with Engineering.
• Drive Lean initiatives to reduce waste and increase efficiency.
• Oversee repair, refurbishment, calibration, and service activities for customer-returned equipment.
• Ensure on-time delivery, service levels, and asset utilization; support NPI and ECRs.
• Lead CAPA and quality system improvements; partner with Quality and Engineering.

Skills

Leadership

Operational Excellence

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Data-Driven Decision Making

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Operations Leader, Mechanical Assembly & Service Center Operations:

Position Summary

The Operations Leader is responsible for leading Mechanical Assembly and Service Center Operations supporting Advantest Interface products. This role oversees manufacturing execution, depot repair, refurbishment, logistics coordination, quality, and customer delivery performance while driving operational excellence across the organization.

The leader will ensure safe, efficient, and scalable operations that meet business objectives for quality, cost, delivery, inventory management, and customer satisfaction. Working closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, Customer Engineering, Product Management, and Sales teams, this individual will establish a high-performance culture focused on continuous improvement, accountability, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Operations Leadership

• Lead daily operations of Mechanical Assembly and Service Center functions, ensuring achievement of production, quality, and delivery targets.
• Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with company growth objectives and customer requirements.
• Establish operational metrics and management systems to monitor performance and drive accountability.
• Manage staffing, workforce planning, training, and succession planning to support business needs.
• Foster a culture of safety, quality, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Mechanical Assembly Operations

• Direct mechanical assembly activities for Advantest Interface products and related subsystems.
• Ensure production schedules are achieved while maintaining product quality and cost objectives.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering to optimize workflows, tooling, and assembly processes.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing initiatives to improve productivity, reduce waste, and increase operational efficiency.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) and engineering change implementations.

Service Center Operations

• Oversee repair, refurbishment, calibration coordination, and service activities for customer-returned equipment.
• Drive turnaround time improvements and maximize asset utilization.
• Establish service center processes that deliver predictable and high-quality outcomes.
• Ensure customer commitments and service level agreements are consistently achieved.
• Support root cause investigations and corrective actions for recurring field issues.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Champion quality systems and ensure compliance with company and industry standards.
• Lead corrective and preventive action (CAPA) initiatives.
• Analyze operational performance data and implement improvement plans.
• Drive Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Partner with Quality and Engineering teams to improve product reliability and manufacturability.

Supply Chain & Inventory Management

• Work closely with Supply Chain and Procurement to ensure material availability.
• Optimize inventory levels while maintaining customer delivery commitments.
• Manage service inventory, spare parts availability, and repair asset tracking.
• Support forecasting and capacity planning activities.

Customer Focus

• Act as a key operational partner to Customer Engineering and customer-facing teams.
• Ensure rapid response to customer escalations and critical delivery requirements.
• Monitor operational performance impacting customer satisfaction and implement corrective actions.
• Participate in customer reviews, audits, and business discussions as required.

Financial & Business Management

• Develop and manage departmental budgets and operating plans.
• Drive cost reduction initiatives while maintaining quality and service levels.
• Monitor operational KPIs and ensure achievement of business objectives.
• Support strategic planning and growth initiatives for the Interface business.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, or related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, operations, service, or industrial environments.
• 5+ years leading managers, supervisors, and cross-functional teams.
• Experience with electromechanical assembly, manufacturing operations, or service depot operations.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience managing operational metrics, budgets, and departmental performance.
• Demonstrated success improving quality, productivity, and delivery performance.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in semiconductor test, automated test equipment (ATE), interface products, or related high-technology industries.
• Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or Lean certification.
• Experience supporting global customers and field service organizations.
• Familiarity with ISO quality systems and regulated manufacturing environments.
• MBA or advanced technical degree.

Key Competencies

• Operational Excellence
• Manufacturing Leadership
• Service Operations Management
• Strategic Planning
• Lean & Continuous Improvement
• Quality Systems
• Team Development
• Customer Focus
• Financial Acumen
• Change Management
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Data-Driven Decision Making

Success Metrics

The Operations Leader will be measured on:

• On-time delivery (OTD)
• Service turnaround time (TAT)
• Manufacturing productivity
• First-pass yield (FPY)
• Inventory turns
• Cost reduction achievements
• Customer satisfaction metrics
• Employee engagement and retention
• Safety performance
• Quality and reliability improvements

This position is critical to ensuring Advantest Interface products are manufactured, serviced, and delivered with world-class quality, responsiveness, and operational efficiency while supporting the company's growth and customer success objectives.