The Equipment Technical Lead is responsible for providing technical leadership, ownership, and
continuous improvement of critical manufacturing equipment within a high-performance
production environment. This role ensures tool reliability, process stability, and equipment
readiness while driving improvements in uptime, safety, and performance. The position partners
closely with Process Engineering, Manufacturing, Facilities, and R&D teams to support production
scaling and new technology introduction.
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Serve as the module’s technical authority for thin-film equipment technologies, setting standards for performance, reliability, and continuous improvement, while acting as a trusted subject matter expert and the recognised “go-to” resource for equipment-related technical leadership and guidance.
- Act as the primary technical escalation point for tool owners, ensuring timely and effective resolution of complex issues.
- Partner with module tool owners to identify, prioritise, and deliver equipment improvements that enhance stability, capability, and productivity.
- Provide critical technical review of programme requirements, ensuring feasibility, robustness, and alignment with operational strategy.
- Review and challenge tool owner CAPEX proposals and peer-review continuous improvement plans to ensure strong technical justification and business value.
- Champion and drive continuous improvement initiatives across the module to improve uptime, yield, and operational efficiency.
- Collaborate closely with the Process Technical Lead on structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, and corrective actions.
- Work collaboratively with customers and stakeholders on project delivery, tool stability, and performance optimisation initiatives.
- Lead and support change management activities, including DCNs, ECNs, PCNs, process flows, PFMEAs, and control plans, ensuring technical integrity and compliance.
- Prepare and deliver clear, data-driven technical presentations to management and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Provide coaching, mentoring, and technical development support to Tool Owners, fostering capability growth within the team.
- Define and align priorities for Engineers and Technicians, ensuring objectives are clear, measurable, and delivered effectively.
- Collaborate across engineering functions to drive alignment, knowledge sharing, and best-practice adoption.
- Contribute to objective setting and performance development for on-shift Equipment Engineers.
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7+ years experience in equipment engineering, maintenance leadership, or technical ownership within a thin-film manufacturing environment.
- Strong hands-on background supporting film-related tools such as PVD, CVD, ALD, sputtering, evaporation, or similar deposition systems.
- Demonstrated experience leading tool reliability, uptime improvement, and performance optimisation initiatives.
- Experience driving preventive maintenance strategy, tool stability improvements, and lifecycle management.
- Experience supporting tool installations, qualifications, upgrades, and process transfers in a production environment.
- Strong understanding of how equipment performance impacts film quality, uniformity, yield, and overall module performance.
- Experience working in high-growth, fast-paced manufacturing environments is highly desirable.
- Strong technical leadership with the ability to influence without direct authority.
- High ownership mindset with accountability for equipment performance and module success.
- Effective communicator, able to engage confidently with engineers, technicians, management, and external partners.
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Pension scheme
- Private medical & dental insurance
- 28 days’ holiday + bank holidays
- Free onsite meals
- Onsite gym
- Relocation support
- Visa support available
About Plessey
We’re building the hardware foundation for next-era computing.
Plessey is a world-leading technology company driving the next generation of photonic devices and systems. With over 70 years of innovation, we combine research, materials science, process engineering, and manufacturing under one roof. We’re recognised as a global authority in microLED displays, optical computing, and optical interconnects.
Join us to work on breakthrough technologies shaping the future of light-based technology and computing.
Lead
We don’t follow industry trends; we create them, pushing boundaries and setting standards others aspire to. Every team member has the power to make decisions, drive change, and deliver excellence. We support each other, challenge one another for the best solutions, and lead by example. Together, we build industries and technologies that shape the future and scale toward our vision of the next era of computing.
Grow
We expand our capabilities every day — deepening our expertise, improving how we work, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Curiosity fuels us: we question assumptions, explore new ideas, and innovate with light-based technologies. By investing in and empowering our people, we strengthen Plessey’s impact and help shape the future of optical technology.
Trust
We operate like a family—honest, reliable, and supportive. We have each other’s backs, own our actions, and uphold the highest standards of integrity and safety. We trust each other to deliver, our customers to challenge us, and our expertise to guide the way. Together, trust enables the collaboration essential for breakthrough innovation and lasting impact.
