Director: Product Support and Field Service

Advantest Test Solutions, Inc. (ATS), is looking for a Director of Product Support & Field Service to join our team in Lake Forest, CA. Ats is a leading provider of massively parallel electronic test systems that includes System Level Test (SLT), burn-in and semiconductor/module tests. ATS has an exciting line of high-performance test systems that support the semiconductor industry around the world.

This individual will manage the worldwide Product Support and Field Service Engineer teams. They will have technical leads/managers and country-specific leads reporting into them. The individual will also work closely with our operations, customer-facing and technical teams to resolve technical and operational equipment issues. They are responsible for satisfying customer warranty and service contract obligations while managing and controlling the costs to sustain a profitable service model. They must serve as an ambassador for internal and external customers. Advantest is a fast paced, dynamic environment so this individual must be able to handle rapidly changing work assignments. Frequent travel overseas to establish and maintain relationships with key customers, local support teams and overseas subcontractors is a must.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Supervise the worldwide teams of ~100 product support engineers, in-house and 3rd party field support engineers.
• Partner with the internal engineering & project management teams and within the customer to validate new initiatives in an engineering/design verification environment before deployment in high volume production.
• Ensure that customer expectations and contract commitments are met or exceeded in terms of site equipment availability and technical performance.
• Direct the Product Support staff in the identification and resolution of equipment failures and other system malfunctions, including both hardware and software functionality.
• Conduct engineering assessments for the diagnosis of equipment failures and malfunctions, through a data driven approach.
• Draft or recommend test evaluation protocols for identifying functional problems and potential solutions.
• Coordinate the resolution of technical issues and field implementation of product solutions.
• Develop and maintain reliability metrics, scorecards and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for purposes of measuring and identifying the highest value reliability and cost improvement opportunities.
• Coordinate with product engineering and subcontracts management in the development of changes to technical specifications for parts and components supplied by subcontractors for installed systems. May directly interact with subcontractor technical staffs on design solutions.
• Manage the budget, costs and 3rd party service provider contracts. Contribute to the pricing estimates for profitable post warranty service offerings.
• Support the development of field application manuals, field service bulletins, training manuals/course content and special training requirements.
• Conduct serviceability feasibility studies for new product designs. May serve on cross-functional product development teams to ensure full consideration of product support and field maintenance needs.
• Recommend equipment modifications for existing systems to improve reliability and serviceability.
• Conduct audits of the Field Service network to assure the teams are operating in compliance to all Advantest processes and procedures.
• Serve as a technical advisor to senior management on customer site performance issues pertaining to equipment availability, staffing and contract fulfillment.
• Domestic and International business travel is a requirement of this position – up to 40% travel to overseas locations and customers is anticipated.
• All other duties as required.
  
  

Requirements

Requirements, Education & Skills

• BS degree in Mechanical/ Electrical/ Software Engineering (Master’s degree preferred) or MBA with an experience in technology support management.
• 10 years of experience in an engineering support capacity, prior management and/or program management experience is required.
• Experience with semiconductor product development, testing and/or capital equipment development for semiconductors is a plus.
• An understanding of analog and digital electronics, electro-mechanical systems, mechanical robotics, AC/DC power controls and thermal control systems/chillers and refrigerants is a plus.
• Must have thorough understanding of root cause analysis and troubleshooting.
• Excellent communication, presentation and documentation skills.
• Must be able to function independently and possess high level problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work comfortably with all levels of the organization, develop plans, manage small projects which may require some hands-on labor. Hands-on manufacturing/build experience is a plus.
• An ability to be productive and successful in an intense work environment.
• Fluency in an international language, specifically in Mandarin or Korean, is a plus.
• This is an on-site role in our Lake Forest, CA office.