Wafer Fab Supervisor

Sierra Wireless; California; On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Sierra Wireless in Rowland, CA is seeking a Wafer Fab Supervisor to lead a team of process technicians and operators across InP BH DFB laser and BH GC lines. You will drive safety, throughput, and yield while maintaining strict POR discipline in a cleanroom environment.

You will collaborate with Process Engineering, Equipment Engineering, Quality, and Production Planning to optimize throughput, cycle-time and tool utilization, and will mentor staff through coaching, training, and performance

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of semiconductor/photonics wafer processing experience (III-V/InP).
• 2–3 years of lead experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams in a cleanroom setting.

Responsibilities

• Plan and direct daily wafer fab production to meet weekly/monthly wafer-out, throughput, and cycle-time targets across InP BH DFB laser and BH GC products.
• Set lot priorities and sequence hot lots with Production Planning to maximize tool utilization.
• Conduct shift handoffs and daily production meetings; track WIP, tool status, and line constraints to resolve bottlenecks.
• Coordinate tool downtime, preventive maintenance and repair priorities with Equipment Engineering to protect schedule adherence.
• Oversee supplies, consumables, and chemical/gas inventory; escalate shortages that threaten production.
• Review lot travelers, process records, and disposition records to ensure complete documentation.

Skills

Leadership

Production Planning

Shift Management

Team Building

Continuous Improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Associate degree or equivalent experience

Tools

MES

SPC

ERP systems

Job description

Location: Rowland, CA (Onsite)

Position Summary: The Wafer Fab Supervisor leads a team of process technicians and operators responsible for daily wafer fabrication operations across InP photonic device lines, specifically InP Buried Heterostructure (BH) DFB lasers and BH Gain Chips (GC). This role is accountable for safe, on-schedule, high-yield production across the fab process modules — photolithography, PECVD, dry etch, wet etch, and metallization — including the Mesa etch and MOCVD epitaxial regrowth support steps used to form the buried heterostructure. The Supervisor sets daily priorities, balances staffing and tool capacity, and ensures strict Process-of-Record (POR) discipline in a III-V cleanroom environment.

Working closely with Process Engineering, Equipment Engineering, Quality, and Production Planning, the Supervisor drives throughput, cycle-time, and yield performance, directs escalation and root-cause response for process excursions, and develops technicians and operators through coaching, training, and clear performance expectations to sustain reliable, high-volume manufacturing.

Responsibilities:

Production Operations Management:

• Plan and direct daily wafer fab production across photolithography, PECVD, dry etch, wet etch, and metallization to meet weekly and monthly wafer-out, throughput, and cycle-time targets for InP BH DFB laser and BH GC products

• Set lot priorities and sequence hot lots, engineering wafers, and standard production lots in coordination with Production Planning to sustain high tool utilization

• Conduct shift handoffs and daily production meetings, and track work-in-process, tool status, and line constraints to proactively resolve bottlenecks

• Coordinate tool downtime, preventive maintenance, and repair priorities with Equipment Engineering to protect production schedule adherence

• Oversee supplies, consumables, and chemical and gas inventory for the fab areas, and escalates shortages that threaten the production schedule

• Review lot travelers, process records, and hold/release dispositions to ensure complete and accurate lot documentation

Team Leadership & Development:

• Lead, schedule, and assign work to technicians and operators to maintain proper coverage across fab process areas and shifts

• Set clear performance expectations, provide regular coaching and feedback, and complete performance reviews; address performance and attendance issues in partnership with Human Resources

• Develop and maintain a training and certification program, including cross-training to build flexible coverage across litho, thin film, etch, and metallization modules

• Participate in hiring, onboarding, and retention of fab technicians and operators

• Promote a culture of ownership, accountability, and open communication across the team

Process Control, Yield & Troubleshooting Oversight:

• Ensure adherence to POR, recipes, and work instructions, and review SPC charts and out-of-control events with process owners to confirm timely corrective action

• Direct escalation and response for process excursions and drift, and partner with Process Engineering to drive root-cause investigation and verified corrective actions

• Monitor yield, defect, and rework trends and work with Process Engineering and Quality to prioritize improvement actions

• Support DOEs, process qualifications, and NPI process runs by scheduling resources and coordinating tool and lot availability

Safety, Compliance & Continuous Improvement:

• Enforce EHS requirements for chemical, process gas, and precious metal handling, cleanroom protocols, and equipment lockout/tagout; lead safety briefings and incident reporting and follow-up

• Ensure compliance with quality system, document control, and training record requirements

• Lead continuous improvement projects to improve throughput, cycle time, yield, cost, and cleanroom efficiency

• Maintain accurate production metrics and communicate performance, risks, and resource needs to fab management

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, materials science, chemistry, physics, or related technical field preferred; associate degree with equivalent experience considered

• 8 - 12 years of experience in semiconductor/photonics wafer processing, with direct III-V/InP process experience

• 2 - 3 years of experience in a lead