Job Description
Job Title:  Lead Research Engineer, Smart Operation and Planning (FAB), IME
Requisition ID:  1050
Posting Start Date:  04/04/2026

Job Description

 

Key Responsibilities

KPI Governance & Performance Management

  • Define, establish, implement, and own a Fab KPI framework: OTD, cycle time (CT), WIP, inline pace / throughput, move rate, schedule adherence, equipment utilization, DPML, hold lot aging, rework/scrap, WIP turns, and forecast accuracy.
  • Design and own live dashboards with tiered visual management (daily/weekly/etc) in order to set targets, guardrails, and escalation paths (e.g., CT breach, bottleneck loading, WIP caps).
  • Establish KPI definitions, data lineage, and governance to ensure single source of truth; run regular ops reviews with variance/root-cause analytics and action closure tracking.

Tool Capacity Planning

  • Build capacity models by workcenter/tool family (bottleneck and non‑bottleneck) with tool states, product mix, and modelled downtime.
  • Lead medium- and long-range capacity planning, including what‑if scenarios (new products / developments, recipe changes, capex adds, PM extensions).
  • Optimize dispatching policies for WIP flows (e.g., FIFO, drum‑buffer‑rope) to stabilize bottlenecks and reduce CT variability.
  • Partner with Equipment team for capability roadmaps (de-bottlenecking, redundancy, chamber matching, clone strategy).

Layout Planning & Material Flow Optimisation

  • Lead fab/layout planning - bay/aisle constraints, tool placement, line balancing, utilities and material flow to minimize travel, WIP touches, and cross‑traffic.
  • Maintain up‑to‑date floor maps and capacity heatmaps and define staging strategies (kitting, Kanban, supermarkets) to de‑risk starvation/overfeeding at bottlenecks.

Planning, Scheduling & Smart Factory Enablement

  • Implement MES integration for lot movement policies, WIP caps (Littles' Law), dispatch lists, and shop‑floor visibility.
  • Implement and drive digital twin / simulation for scenario planning: mix shifts, tool downs, and new line introductions.

People Leadership & Stakeholder Management

  • Lead and develop the team by setting clear goals and encouraging upskills in analytics, simulation, and scheduling.
  • Facilitate alignment with respective stakeholders (Ops, Engineering, Equipment, S&I, Procurement/Materials, etc).
  • Drive change management for new KPIs, planning rules, and layout changes with structured stakeholder engagement.

Qualifications

  • Degree in Industrial/Manufacturing/Systems/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or related field.
  • 5–10+ years in semiconductor fab planning/Ops/scheduling.
  • Strong command of operations analytics and queueing theory.
  • Hands‑on experience with MES/APS and simulation tools.
  • Data fluency: SQL, Excel/Power Query, Power BI/Tableau preferred for modeling.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication; proven cross‑functional leadership in fast‑paced environments.

The above eligibility criteria are not exhaustive. A*STAR may include additional selection criteria based on its prevailing recruitment policies. These policies may be amended from time to time without notice. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.