Staff Engineer, Equipment Engineering

As a Staff Equipment Engineer specializing in sputter media, you will be responsible for overseeing the operation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of sputtering equipment used in the production of hard disk media. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure optimal equipment performance, minimize downtime, cycle time improvement and contribute to the development of new processes and technologies. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: * Oversee day-to-day equipment maintenance activities, troubleshooting, and line issue management to ensure high equipment availability and minimal production downtime. * Lead equipment reliability, maintenance, and engineering improvement initiatives to support stable and efficient manufacturing operations. * Drive preventive and predictive maintenance strategies to improve equipment reliability, reduce failures, and sustain long-term operational performance. * Lead equipment upgrades, machine conversions, and technology improvements to support next-generation HDD product requirements. * Manage new equipment installation, commissioning, and acceptance testing to ensure systems meet operational, safety, and process specifications before production release. * Monitor and analyze equipment performance, reliability, and OEE data to identify improvement opportunities and drive operational excellence. * Lead root cause analysis for equipment failures, implementing effective corrective and preventive actions to prevent recurrence. * Collaborate with Process Engineering and Sputter Yield teams to improve yield performance, reduce defects, and enhance process capability. * Coordinate closely with Production, Quality, Facilities, and other cross-functional teams to ensure smooth production operations and achieve manufacturing targets. * Manage engineering projects related to equipment upgrades, modifications, and system improvements, ensuring timely execution within scope and budget. * Provide technical leadership, guidance, and mentorship to junior engineers and technicians to strengthen team capability and technical competency. * Develop and maintain engineering documentation, including SOPs, maintenance procedures, and best practices for equipment operation and sustainment. * Ensure all equipment and related systems comply with safety regulations, company policies, and industry standards. * Support continuous improvement initiatives by introducing new technologies, automation solutions, and engineering best practices. * Strengthen knowledge sharing and technical skill development within the engineering team to build a high-performing equipment engineering organization. * Maintain strong collaboration with OEM suppliers and technical partners to support equipment upgrades, troubleshooting, and technology development. * Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by management.