Quality Inspections (QI) Manager

Position Summary

The Quality Inspections (QI) Manager is responsible for leading X-FAB's inline inspection and outgoing quality assurance strategy to protect product performance, improve yield, and strengthen customer confidence.
This position transforms inspection data into actionable intelligence by integrating defect inspection, electrical correlation, yield analysis, risk-based sampling, and continuous improvement. The QI Manager leads a team of engineers and technicians while partnering closely with Product Integration, Yield Enhancement, Test Engineering, Manufacturing, and Process Engineering to identify, prioritize, and eliminate the defects that matter most.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop the Quality Inspections organization.
• Establish a culture of ownership, urgency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Build technician and engineer capabilities through structured training, certification, and skills development.
• Define clear expectations, standard work, escalation paths, and performance metrics.

Defect Intelligence & Yield Correlation

• Drive the evolution of QI from defect counting to defect intelligence.
• Develop and maintain correlations between inline defects, PCM performance, sort yield, reliability results, and customer returns.
• Identify the defect modes, layers, and process steps that have the greatest impact on device performance.
Lead initiatives to distinguish critical yield-limiting defects from nuisance defects and optimize inspection strategies accordingly.

Excursion Detection & Containment

• Monitor defect trends and inspection data to identify process shifts and excursions before yield is impacted.
• Drive rapid containment, root cause investigation, and corrective actions.
• Establish effective escalation systems and ensure timely communication of quality risks.
Lead structured investigations using statistical and engineering methodologies.

Data Analytics & Continuous Improvement

• Utilize statistical analysis, defect density methodologies, SPC, and advanced analytics to drive process improvements.
• Develop meaningful KPIs, dashboards, and reporting systems that provide actionable insight.
• Support predictive yield modeling and defect-density-based monitoring approaches.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on defect reduction, process stability, and operational excellence.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as a key member of the PI/YE leadership team.
• Partner with Product Engineering, Process Integration, Yield Enhancement, Test Engineering, Manufacturing, and R&D to prioritize and solve the most critical product performance issues.
• Support customer meetings, audits, and technical reviews.
Present defect analysis, quality performance, and risk assessments to internal and external stakeholders.

Technology & Automation Roadmap

• Drive adoption of advanced inspection methodologies, automated defect classification, data integration, AI-assisted analytics, and predictive quality systems.
• Support the development of integrated defect, metrology, SPC, and yield databases.
• Champion the use of digital tools that improve speed, accuracy, and decision-making.

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate will:

• Build a highly respected QI organization known for speed, accuracy, and ownership.
• Establish strong defect-to-yield correlation methodologies.
• Reduce customer escapes and quality excursions.
• Improve inspection effectiveness through risk-based strategies.
• Create meaningful dashboards and metrics that drive action.
• Develop a team that proactively identifies issues before they impact yield or customers.
Help establish X-FAB as a leader in predictive quality and defect intelligence.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, Statistics, or related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of semiconductor manufacturing experience.
• 3+ years of technical leadership or management experience.
• Strong knowledge of semiconductor process technology, yield improvement, defect inspection, and quality systems.
• Experience using statistical methods, SPC, root cause analysis, and data-driven decision making.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional technical teams and drive organizational change.