ShopFloorJobs
C

Director of Indium Phosphide (InP) Wafer Fab Operations

Coherent · Fremont, CA

Apply on Coherent ↗
Level
Director+
Team
Production
Degree
Required
Experience asked
15+ years
Industry
Industrial
Posted
30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A director-level production role at Coherent (industrial) in Fremont, CA.

They ask for
15+ years · degree required
Tools it names
Lean, Six Sigma, OEE, Root cause, SPC, FMEA

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026

Production Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $134k–$180k.

Median of the low and high ends of 64 live postings that list pay, out of 147 production engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 146 other live production postings in California.

Base pay
Not listed in this posting

Typical $121k–$174k, from 50 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
More than usual (15+ vs 6+)

Similar roles usually ask 6+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • ✓ New product launch 37%
  • ✓ Lean 30%
  • ✓ Root cause 28%
  • Team leadership 25%
  • ✓ Automation 24%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for OEE, SPC, FMEA, CAPA, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.

It asks for 15+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

  1. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at Coherent

    Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.

  2. 2

    Send a short, curious note

    One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.

  3. 3

    Turn a reply into a short call

    Questions worth asking about this team:

    • What does a normal week look like on your team?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 4

    Apply with someone vouching for you

    If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.

  5. 5

    Bring proof to the interview

    One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

This plant: Coherent in Fremont

6 other open roles at this site.

Full description from CoherentAs posted on their careers site.Show

Responsibilities

  • ◆Provide strategic and operational leadership for all wafer fabrication activities, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing operations.
  • ◆Lead the startup, commissioning, qualification, and operational readiness of a new Indium Phosphide wafer fabrication facility.
  • ◆Develop and execute the manufacturing roadmap to support business growth, customer commitments, and capacity expansion.
  • ◆Establish operational metrics, production targets, and performance objectives aligned with corporate goals.

Education & Experience

  • ✓Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
  • ✓Master’s degree in engineering preferred, Business Administration (MBA), or related discipline.
  • ✓Minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership experience in semiconductor wafer fabrication or advanced manufacturing.
  • ✓Minimum of 8 years leading manufacturing operations, fab management, or operations engineering organizations.
  • ✓Demonstrated experience leading semiconductor fab startup, production ramp, or significant capacity expansion initiatives.
  • ✓Experience with compound semiconductor manufacturing, preferably Indium Phosphide (InP), Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), Silicon Photonics, or III-V semiconductor technologies.
  • ✓Proven experience managing cross-functional organizations and large manufacturing teams.

Skills

Requirements

  • ✓Occasional travel to other sites may be necessary.
  • ✓Sitting for extended periods while working on a computer or in meetings.
  • ✓Use of hands and fingers for typing, writing, and handling documents.
  • ✓Occasional lifting of objects or materials up to 20 pounds for administrative tasks.
  • ✓Ability to communicate verbally and in writing.

Safety

Requirements

All employees are required to follow the site EHS procedures and Coherent Corp. Corporate EHS standards.

Quality and Environmental

Responsibilities

Depending on location, this position may be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the ISO 9000, 9001, 14001 and/or other applicable standards that may apply to the relevant roles and

responsibilities

within the Quality Management System and Environmental Management System.

Culture Com

Show full description ↓

The Director of Indium Phosphide (InP) Wafer Fab Operations is responsible for the overall leadership, startup, qualification, and operation of an Indium Phosphide wafer fabrication facility. This executive leadership role will oversee all aspects of manufacturing operations, including technology transfer, process qualification, production ramp, operational readiness, quality, engineering collaboration, workforce development, and continuous improvement.

Working closely with Engineering, Process Development, Supply Chain, Quality, Facilities, Product Management, and Executive Leadership, the Director will establish and scale world-class manufacturing capabilities while achieving exceptional performance in safety, quality, delivery, cost, yield, and customer satisfaction. This role requires a strategic leader with deep semiconductor wafer fabrication experience and a proven track record of successfully launching and operating advanced manufacturing facilities.

Production Ramp & Operational Excellence

  • •Lead production ramp activities from development through high-volume manufacturing.
  • •Drive improvements in cycle time, throughput, equipment utilization, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), yield, and cost of ownership.
  • •Implement Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and continuous improvement methodologies.
  • •Monitor key manufacturing KPIs and implement corrective actions to ensure operational excellence.
  • •Quality & Compliance
  • •Foster a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
  • •Ensure compliance with ISO standards, customer requirements, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
  • •Lead root cause investigations and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) activities.
  • •Maintain world-class product quality and manufacturing consistency.
  • •Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • •Partner with Supply Chain to ensure material availability and production continuity.
  • •Collaborate with Facilities to maintain reliable manufacturing infrastructure and utilities.
  • •Work closely with Product Management, Sales, and Customer Quality to meet customer delivery expectations.
  • •Provide regular operational updates to executive leadership regarding production performance, risks, and strategic initiatives.

Technical Competencies

  • •Deep understanding of semiconductor wafer fabrication processes, equipment, and manufacturing systems.
  • •Knowledge of lithography, etch, deposition, diffusion, implant, CMP, metrology, wafer testing, and process integration.
  • •Experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), ERP systems, and factory automation.
  • •Strong knowledge of statistical process control (SPC), Design of Experiments (DOE), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and yield improvement methodologies.

Leadership Skills

  • •Proven ability to lead through organizational growth, change, and transformation.
  • •Exceptional strategic planning and execution capabilities.
  • •Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills.

Communication & Collaboration

  • •Excellent coaching, mentoring, and talent development abilities.
  • •Ability to influence across all organizational levels, including executive leadership.
  • •Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
  • •Ability to communicate complex technical and operational information to executive leadership.
  • •Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective cross-functional partnerships.
  • •Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Working Conditions

  • •This role will be based on-site in Fremont, CA.
  • •Regular use of a computer and other office equipment is necessary.

Physical

More Production roles nearby