Senior Program Manager

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Own execution of the BU's manufacturing ramps across Fremont and Ipoh; translate business ramp targets and required wafer starts into the manufacturing-readiness actions needed to deliver output at both sites.

• Determine the full set of requirements for each ramp—equipment capacity and installation timing, operator and engineering resourcing, process readiness, process and equipment qualification, facility readiness, critical materials and consumables, substrates, tooling, and backend capacity—and drive each element to readiness ahead of required wafer starts and production volumes.

• Own and maintain the integrated readiness schedule linking Fremont's 3-inch fab ramp (high-power CW lasers, high-speed photodiodes) to Ipoh bar fabrication, coating, qualification, assembly, and backend, ensuring downstream capability is ready as Fremont output increases.

• Own and maintain the capacity model for the Fremont fab and the site—covering tool capacity, utilization, uptime, cycle time, yield, and staffing assumptions—and keep it current with demand, wafer-start plans, and equipment changes to identify bottlenecks early and support capacity investment and ramp decisions.

• Identify gaps between required capacity and actual readiness; drive cross-functional actions with Fremont and Ipoh factory teams, engineering, procurement, and suppliers to close them.

• Manage weekly ramp targets and shipment targets at Ipoh; track output against plan, identify shortfalls, and drive the factory recovery actions needed to meet the BU's delivery commitments.

• Drive equipment delivery, installation, and qualification against ramp timing; manage supplier lead times, expedites, and pull-ins to protect the ramp schedule.

• Manage critical consumables and constrained materials against the ramp to prevent material-driven shortfalls at either site.

• Ensure people and processes are ready ahead of volume—operator staffing and training, process qualification, and work-instruction readiness.

• Drive systems readiness ahead of volume in partnership with IT, engineering, and product data teams—ensure part numbers, BOMs, and routings are created and released in PLM (e.g., Agile) and ERP; MES process flows, operations, and data collection are configured (e.g., CAMSTAR); and labels, lot traceability, and shipping documentation are set up and validated at Fremont, Ipoh, and partner sites, so material can be started, tracked, and shipped without system-driven delays.

• Lead full manufacturing-chain readiness for major ramps, including the NVIDIA 400mW CoC program for co-packaged optics, ensuring the chain is ready at the volume and timing required by the business.

• Run weekly cross-site execution reviews; report ramp status, risks, and recovery plans to operations and BU leadership, and drive corrective actions to closure.

• Generate program schedules and risk-mitigation plans for key ramps; drive milestone agreements and key decisions across engineering, operations, procurement, and factory teams.

• Escalate constraints with clear, data-backed mitigation options, acting as the single owner accountable for ramp readiness across the manufacturing chain.

Education & Experience

• Minimum 5-7 years of relevant experience in semiconductor or photonics manufacturing operations, with a focus on capacity ramp, operations program management, or industrialization—preferably in a wafer fabrication environment.

• Minimum 3-5 years leading cross-site and/or contract-manufacturing ramps spanning assembly and fabrication.

• Demonstrated ownership of equipment installation and qualification, capacity planning, and manufacturing-readiness execution for new-product or volume ramps.

• BS degree in engineering or a relevant technical field required.

• MS degree in engineering, industrial engineering, operations/supply chain, or business preferred.

• PMP or equivalent program management certification preferred.

Skills

• Strong program management skills—able to own an integrated, cross-functional, cross-site readiness schedule and drive multiple parallel workstreams to closure.

• Solid understanding of wafer fab and backend (assembly/test) process flows and equipment/process qualification.

• Familiarity with MES (e.g., CAMSTAR) and PDM/PLM systems (e.g., Agile).

• Working knowledge of capacity modeling and operations analytics; expertise in MS Excel; familiarity with PowerBI; MySQL / MS Access a plus.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills; data-driven in identifying and closing capacity and readiness gaps.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Be concise, consistent, and persistent in each daily communication across sites.

• Preferred language skill—proficiency in spoken and written Mandarin.

• May include travel to Malaysia (Ipoh), China, and Taiwan—15-25%.

Working Conditions

• On-site job function.

Safety Requirements

All employees are required to follow the site EHS procedures and Coherent Corp. Corporate EHS standards.

Quality and Environmental Responsibilities

Depending on location, this position may be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the ISO 9000, 9001, 14001 and/or other applicable standards that may apply to the relevant roles and responsibilities within the Quality Management System and Environmental Management System.

Culture Commitment

Ensure adherence to company’s values (ICARE) in all aspects of your position at Coherent Corp.:

Integrity – Create an Environment of Trust

Collaboration – Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas

Accountability – Own the Process and the Outcome

Respect – Recognize the Value in Everyone

Enthusiasm – Find a Sense of Purpose in Work

Coherent Corp. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.