Equipment Performance Lead

About the role

The Equipment Performance Lead is responsible for leading factory-wide equipment performance initiatives to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), tool reliability, availability, and cost of ownership. This role serves as the technical leader for equipment performance management, partnering closely with Operations, Process Engineering, Equipment Engineering, and external equipment suppliers to identify performance gaps, drive corrective actions, and implement sustainable improvements across the semiconductor manufacturing facility. This position reports directly to the VP of Operations.

The successful candidate will establish robust performance metrics, lead root cause investigations, influence equipment roadmaps with suppliers, and ensure that manufacturing equipment consistently supports factory output, quality, and cost objectives.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive site-wide equipment OEE improvement strategies and execution plans.
• Serve as the primary technical interface between the manufacturing site and equipment suppliers.
• Establish performance targets and KPI management systems for availability, reliability, utilization, and maintenance effectiveness.
• Lead supplier performance reviews focused on equipment reliability, service quality, spare parts support, and roadmap commitments.
• Drive supplier accountability for chronic equipment issues, warranty concerns, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Lead the supplier escalation processes and executive reviews when necessary.
• Lead complex equipment failure investigations using structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Identify recurring issues and develop sustainable corrective actions to prevent future failures.
• Analyze equipment trends and predictive maintenance indicators to improve operational reliability.
• Evaluate equipment upgrades, retrofits, and capital improvement opportunities based on business impact.
• Benchmark industry best practices and implement innovative solutions to improve factory equipment performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical field.
• 15+ years of experience in semiconductor manufacturing, equipment engineering, maintenance engineering, or reliability engineering.
• Experience in high-volume semiconductor wafer fabrication.
• Demonstrated success improving equipment OEE, uptime, and factory productivity.
• Strong understanding of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and maintenance strategies.

Pay

Compensation Range: $141,000.00 - $194,000.00. The posted salary range is what Wolfspeed reasonably expects to pay for this position. Actual pay for a hired applicant will be determined based on the individual’s job-relevant qualifications, experience, and other determinative factors.