Foundry Operations Principal Engineer

About the Opportunity Our client is seeking an experienced semiconductor professional to oversee manufacturing operations, program execution, and operational performance across external wafer fabrication partners. This role will be responsible for managing foundry relationships, ensuring manufacturing readiness, supporting new product introductions, and driving continuous improvements in capacity, yield, quality, and operational performance. The successful candidate will work closely with engineering teams, manufacturing partners, and business stakeholders to ensure products are delivered according to business requirements and customer expectations. The position requires strong technical knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing processes, project management experience, and the ability to effectively coordinate activities across multiple stakeholders. Key Responsibilities External Manufacturing Operations Management Manage operational activities across external wafer fabrication partners to ensure production targets, quality objectives, and delivery commitments are achieved. Monitor manufacturing performance indicators including capacity utilization, cycle time, yield performance, and product quality metrics. Work closely with manufacturing partners to identify operational risks and implement corrective and preventive actions. Support production planning activities to ensure adequate manufacturing capacity is available to meet short-term and long-term business requirements. Coordinate process change implementation and manufacturing improvement programs across external production facilities. New Product Introduction & Technology Transfer Lead operational readiness activities associated with new product introductions and manufacturing transfers. Coordinate qualification plans, process validation activities, and product release milestones. Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing teams to ensure successful product deployment into high-volume production. Support production ramp-up activities and drive continuous yield and process performance improvements. Program & Project Management Develop project schedules, resource plans, risk mitigation strategies, and execution frameworks for manufacturing-related programs. Track project progress and ensure deliverables are achieved within agreed timelines and quality expectations. Facilitate cross-functional collaboration among engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, and manufacturing teams. Organize project reviews, technical discussions, and stakeholder update meetings. Prepare project status reports and communicate progress, risks, and recommendations to management. Yield, Quality & Continuous Improvement Investigate manufacturing excursions, process deviations, yield issues, and customer-related quality concerns. Lead structured problem-solving activities and root cause investigations. Apply statistical methodologies and quality improvement tools to improve manufacturing performance. Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on quality, productivity, and operational efficiency. Foundry Relationship Management Serve as the primary operational interface between internal stakeholders and external manufacturing partners. Build collaborative relationships with foundry partners to support business objectives and manufacturing performance targets. Participate in supplier performance reviews and improvement programs. Support commercial discussions related to operational performance, capacity planning, and supplier engagement activities. Requirements Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Materials Science, Semiconductor Engineering, or a related discipline. Minimum 7 years of experience within semiconductor manufacturing, wafer fabrication, process engineering, device engineering, yield engineering, or foundry operations. Strong understanding of semiconductor fabrication processes, manufacturing operations, and production environments. Experience managing external manufacturing partners, suppliers, or foundry relationships. Demonstrated project management experience involving cross-functional teams and manufacturing programs. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage complex technical issues. Excellent communication and stakeholder management capabilities. Ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities in a dynamic environment. Preferred Qualifications Experience wi…