Senior Shift Engineer — Wafer Fab Equipment

Location: Northampton, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom (relocation and sponsorship support available)

About Our Client

Our client is a market-leading manufacturer of innovative optical and photonic products, enabling optical networking and commercial laser solutions worldwide. Their advanced components and subsystems are an integral part of virtually every telecom, enterprise, and data centre network globally. Headquartered in California with R&D, manufacturing, and sales offices worldwide, their specialised UK wafer fabrication facility serves as a global centre of excellence.

Role Summary

As a Senior Shift Engineer, you will provide critical Equipment Engineering leadership and technical support to the Manufacturing and Process Engineering groups within the Wafer Fab. This role involves day-to-day production tool support, advanced fault-finding, and the optimisation of specialised semiconductor processing systems. You will work closely with tools handling hazardous chemicals and speciality gases, requiring a safety-critical mindset and high-precision engineering expertise.

This is a senior position requiring an engineering leader who can mentor technicians, manage external vendors, and drive total productive maintenance practices to safeguard 2027 global production goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Asset Maintenance & Repair: Execute advanced repairs and preventative maintenance (PMs) on highly complex semiconductor processing machinery, managing routine cleans and tool preparation.
• Team Leadership & Mentoring: Instruct, cross-train, and mentor shift equipment technicians and junior engineers to build robust site capability and meet manufacturing targets.
• Operational Excellence: Drive Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) practices and lead key equipment improvement projects using structured 8-step problem-solving formats.
• Supplier & Contractor Management: Liaise directly with international equipment vendors, tool suppliers, and field service engineers, actively supervising external contractors on-site.
• Data & Reporting: Generate comprehensive monthly engineering reports detailing tool performance, OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) metrics, and project status updates for the executive management team.
• Governance & EHS: Manage chemical and gas supply control, chemical fills, and waste management workflows in strict accordance with site health, safety, and environmental procedures.

Qualifications & Experience

• An HNC, HND, or Degree in a relevant engineering discipline (or equivalent qualification).
• Alternatively: A minimum of 10 years of directly related, hands-on industrial engineering experience.
• Essential: A minimum of 5 years of dedicated engineering experience working directly within a semiconductor manufacturing or cleanroom environment.

Key Skills Required

• Technical Vetting: Proven expertise in generating new work instructions, rigorous risk assessments, and method statements without close supervision.
• Tool Competency (Desirable): Direct maintenance and repair experience on semiconductor manufacturing tools from premium vendors including, but not limited to: ASML, Trikon/SPTS, OiPT, Palomar, Temscal, Leybold, Leica, and SemiTool.
• Commercial Agility: Exceptional time management, stakeholder management, and computer literacy across the Microsoft Office suite.
• Communication: Elite written and spoken English communication skills.

Other Requirements

• Shift Flexibility: A flexible approach to working hours is required to meet business needs, including working a rotating shift pattern and overtime as necessary.
• Cleanroom Environment: Work is performed inside a high-spec cleanroom environment, requiring strict adherence to cleanroom clothing protocols.
• Safety Critical: This position involves the potential use of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and requires passing relevant site medical and face-fit testing.
• Logistics: The ability to independently attend the site is essential. The facility is situated in a rural Northamptonshire setting and is not served by public transport; access to your own vehicle is required.

Relocation & Sponsorship Support

Our client is looking for the absolute best global talent to join this centre of excellence. To support the right candidate, full visa sponsorship and comprehensive relocation assistance are on offer for professionals transferring from overseas or within the UK.