Director, Infrared Sensor Fabrication/ Manufacturing

HRL Laboratories pioneers the next frontiers of physical and information science. Delivering transformative technologies in automotive, aerospace and defense, HRL advances the critical missions of its customers to help them remove limitations and create competitive advantage. HRL then transitions the work back to customers – ready for real-world application. For more than 70 years, HRL’s rich portfolio of scientific discoveries and engineering innovations continues to build on each other — often in unexpected, profound and far-reaching ways. As a private company owned jointly by Boeing and GM, HRL prioritizes purpose over profit, significantly advancing the state of the art.

General Description:
HRL Laboratories pioneers world-class infrared sensor systems for aerospace and defense, enhancing national capabilities through innovative solutions. We collaborate closely with our customers to transform emerging needs into high-performance outcomes. Our business model leverages our focus on advanced research and product delivery, ensuring customer satisfaction and mission success.
HRL is investing in a new site to take its technical innovations directly to market through the building and delivery of disruptive products for aerospace and defense. This role is to lead a multidisciplinary team in successfully standing up and transferring manufacturing capacity from a laboratory environment into a new facility capable of performing R&D alongside medium rate manufacturing. Responsibilities begin with the stand-up and qualification of this new facility. The role also requires strong execution and planning skills, with internal and external customers and establishing cost, build and yield metrics. Organizational Development functions include change management, developing strategies that support growth, continuous improvement, new capabilities, and maturing and inserting new technologies. 

Essential Duties:
• Ensure an adequate base of talent and skill and hone best practices that lead industry capability
• Lead and manage the operations team, including hiring, training, and performance evaluation
• Lead and direct the core operational processes for a high-growth, strategic business and enable efficient growth and execution at scale
• Create, monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess operational performance and make data-driven decisions
• Identify areas for improvement in operational processes and implement changes to increase efficiency and productivity
• Manage budgets, control costs, and ensure financial efficiency within the operations department
• Oversee relationships with suppliers and vendors to ensure quality and cost-effectiveness
• Ensure all operations comply with relevant laws, regulations, and company policies
• Ensure that operational activities align with customer satisfaction goals and address any issues that arise
• Prepare and present reports on operational performance to senior management.
• Provide single-threaded leadership for the operational aspects of growing and scaling a semiconductor products business, including the following:
•Oversee and optimize materials planning and execution, including forecasting and product mix management for both pre-production and production-released products.
•Identify and import the best-known methods for customer configuration management for a high-complexity product family
•Work with supply chain, product engineering, and manufacturing operations to streamline and optimize production supply chain flows and drive cycle time reduction
•Represent and champion operations management in new product development, strategic planning and product portfolio decisions
•Organize and facilitate monthly, quarterly, and annual operational reviews and strategic planning activities

Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related fields and 15+ years of relevant semiconductor experience.
• Innovative, resourceful leader that can prioritize, invent and simplify, and deliver results in a high-velocity business
• Strong understanding of operational processes and best practices
• Proficiency in using operational management software and tools
• Ability to collaborate with peers and independently multitask, prioritize, make high-level decisions, meet aggressive deadlines, and communicate results, trade-offs, and decisions to all stakeholders is necessary to be effective in this role.

Preferred Qualifications (Desired Skills/Experience):
• Master’s degree in engineering, or MBA is a plus.
• Background in semiconductor product engineering with an emphasis on packaging camera sensors/image sensors with full lifecycle responsibility (from NPI launch to EOL) will be ideal.

Special Requirements:
• U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a US Government Security Clearance.
• Active security clearance is a plus.

Compensation and Benefits:
• Pay Range: $216,900 - $278,000
• Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location (California). The range displayed on each job posting reflects the target range for new hire salaries for the position. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range during the hiring process.
• Benefits: HRL offers a generous and very competitive total compensation and benefits package. Our Regular/Full Time benefits include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401K match, gym facilities, PTO, Sick time, upward mobility, and an exciting and challenging work environment.
• For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: https://www.hrl.com/careers/benefits

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At HRL, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

If you would like more information about Equal Employment Opportunity as an applicant under the law, please go to Employees & Job Applicants | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

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