Senior Engineer, Equipment Engineering

ADI - Analog Devices

Limerick, Ireland

Equipment Engineering is seeking a highly skilled, multidisciplinary Wafer Fab Automation Engineer to support the deployment, integration, and reliability of automation technologies within our semiconductor manufacturing facility.

This role uniquely combines robotics engineering, factory automation support, and AMHS (OHT) system engineering, serving as the technical bridge between wafer‑fab operations, equipment engineering, and the Automation & Robotics development teams.

You will help define next‑generation automation strategies for wafer handling, including tool‑tending robots, overhead transport (OHT) systems, and related factory automation solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Robotics & Tool‑Tending Automation

Act as the primary liaison between wafer‑fab operations and the Robotics Development Team.
Provide engineering oversight for tool‑tending robotic systems (cobots, mobile robots, manipulators).
Support integration, programming, testing, deployment, and optimisation of robotic automation.
Troubleshoot robot behaviour, uptime issues, and interoperability with fab equipment.
Conduct feasibility assessments, simulations, and prototype evaluations.

OHT AMHS Engineering

Provide engineering ownership and support for the Overhead Transport (OHT) system and related factory AMHS infrastructure.
Monitor system performance and material flow, identifying bottlenecks or failure modes.
Manage escalations, root‑cause investigations, and corrective actions for AMHS events.
Collaborate with vendors and integrators on upgrades, maintenance planning, and system enhancements.
Support track/trace technologies, wafer carrier logistics, and flow optimisation.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

Work with manufacturing, equipment engineering, and IT/automation teams to align automation capabilities with fab needs.
Translate fab workflow and process requirements into actionable automation specifications.
Participate in design reviews, safety assessments, and installation planning.
Communicate technical updates, system changes, and project status to stakeholders.

Design, Documentation & Continuous Improvement

Develop system requirements, test plans, bills of materials, and technical documentation.
Use CAD tools to review mechanical interfaces and robot‑tool layouts.
Support process simplification, automation strategy improvements, and throughput optimization.
Ensure compliance with SEMI standards, fab safety protocols, and ADI engineering best practices.
Stay informed on emerging automation, AMHS, and semiconductor handling technologies.

Required Skills & Experience

Education: Ordinary Bachelor’s degrees (NFQ Level 7) or Honours Bachelor’s degrees (NFQ Level 8) in Mechatronics, Robotics, Automation, Mechanical, Electrical, or related engineering field.
Experience: 5+ years of experience – Maintenance Technician or Engineer, ideally coming from a highly regulated environment or an Equipment Maintenance role within the Semiconductor industry
Experience with factory automation systems, robotics, or AMHS/OHT systems (either academic or industrial).
Knowledge of PLCs, SCADA, HMI, or industrial control systems.
Strong mechanical/electrical aptitude with ability to read schematics, layouts, and CAD drawings.
Excellent analytical skills, problem‑solving capability, and attention to detail.
Clear and confident verbal/written communication skills across cross‑functional teams.

Desirable/Advantageous Skills

Hands‑on experience with robot programming or robotic manipulators (especially mobile or collaborative robots).
Experience with OHT AMHS systems, wafer carriers, FOUP handling, and semiconductor logistics.
Experience with equipment maintenance, diagnostics, and reliability engineering.
Exposure to automation integrators, commissioning activities, or industrial system deployment.