Program Manager, Vacuum Automation

Brooks is a leading provider of automation solutions with over 40 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, offering precision robotics, integrated automation systems, and contamination control solutions that empower chip manufacturers worldwide. Our product portfolio includes a range of automation solutions, including robots, vacuum systems, and atmospheric robots for semiconductor manufacturing (www.brooks.com).  

Are you looking for a place where you can be part of a transformation? Join us at Brooks Automation and be a part of a dynamic organization that is shaping the future of technology.

THE MANDATE:

Own the integrated and technical truth of complex capital-equipment programs. Turn engineering work, customer commitments, product configurations, and cross-functional dependencies into predictable business outcomes. This is not a meeting-administration or tracker-maintenance role. The Program Manager must be technically credible enough to engage engineers, test assumptions, challenge unsupported conclusions, and lead design and program reviews without replacing the technical authority of Engineering.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY:

Brooks Automation provides precision automation solutions for the semiconductor industry. Our Vacuum Automation programs combine robotics, mechanisms, controls, software, complex BOMs, global supply chains, manufacturing, and demanding OEM customer commitments. We are strengthening Program Management to scale execution, improve decision quality, and create a common enterprise operating model while preserving the flexibility each program requires.

WHAT YOU WILL OWN:

• Lead assigned programs across the complete lifecycle: opportunity and requirements definition, initiation, detailed planning, phase-gate readiness, design release, prototype and alpha/beta builds, verification and validation, production readiness, customer shipment, ramp, stabilization, and closure.
• Establish and control the integrated program baseline, including scope, measurable acceptance criteria, product configuration, milestones, critical path, named resource assumptions, dependencies, product-cost targets, quality objectives, customer commitments, and decision rights.
• Build and maintain an integrated master schedule connecting Product Management, Applications, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Service, Finance, suppliers, and customer activities. Distinguish requested dates, target dates, and approved commitments.
• Turn functional estimates into an executable plan by probing task logic and assumptions, identifying named resources and allocations, leveling constrained capacity, and obtaining explicit functional commitment.
• Own the program risk, issue, assumption, dependency, decision, and change-control system. Convert red status into quantified consequences, recovery options, a recommended path, a decision owner, and a required decision date.
• Lead phase-gate readiness as an evidence-based business decision. Make incomplete deliverables, residual risks, waivers, deviations, temporary workarounds, and conditional approvals explicit, owned, scheduled, and closed.
• Control post-baseline changes and quantify impacts to design, verification, BOM, tooling, software, documentation, service, spares, schedule, resources, product cost, program spend, quality, revenue timing, and customer commitments.
• Connect execution to the business case, including NRE, program investment, product cost, margin, volume, revenue timing, customer value, and capacity consumption.
• Lead customer-facing program and recovery reviews. Push back constructively when scope, acceptance criteria, dates, or trade-offs are not supportable while preserving the customer relationship.
• Create concise executive communication showing baseline versus forecast, critical-path movement, technical and business risk, recovery scenarios, recommendation, and decisions required.

TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS:

• Develop sufficient depth in the assigned product and system architecture to engage credibly with mechanical, electrical, controls, software, systems, test, manufacturing, quality, and supplier engineers. Know enough to recognize gaps, test the logic, and call out unsupported optimism or incomplete analysis.
• Lead technical program reviews that connect requirements, architecture, interfaces, design maturity, verification evidence, manufacturing readiness, cost, schedule, and customer acceptance. Keep reviews focused on unresolved decisions, trade-offs, failure modes, and evidence required to proceed.
• Question design changes with discipline: What problem is being solved? Which requirement changes? What alternatives were considered? Which interfaces are affected? What must be reverified? What is the impact to BOM, cost, lead time, tooling, software, documentation, service, spares, schedule, and customer commitments?
• Understand product and BOM structures well enough to review engineering BOMs and manufacturing BOMs; identify common-platform versus customer-specific content; recognize long-lead, sole-source, obsolete, or high-risk components; and ensure revisions, effectivity, substitutions, and released configurations align with the program baseline.
• Use technical artifacts as program evidence, including system and subsystem requirements, product configurations or selection guides, architecture and interface documents, drawings and specifications, design-review outputs, DFMEA/PFMEA, verification matrices, test reports, defect data, engineering changes, deviations, build documentation, and readiness checklists.
• Probe engineering estimates and recovery plans using task logic, dependencies, review and release cycles, procurement lead times, prototype learning cycles, test capacity, defect closure, rework, and contingency. Escalate unsupported assumptions while preserving Engineering accountability for technical decisions.
• Ensure technical debt, open defects, field fixes, temporary workarounds, waivers, and deviations are risk-assessed, owned, included in the schedule, and closed or formally accepted before program closure.
• Translate technical choices into schedule, cost, quality, capacity, customer, and business consequences so leaders can make informed decisions without losing the underlying engineering reality.

HOW YOU WILL IMPROVE THE OPERATING SYSTEM:

• Help build and deploy a scalable enterprise Program Management model using common minimum controls tailored by program novelty, risk, customer exposure, and complexity.
• Improve front-end readiness by challenging incomplete scope, unclear acceptance criteria, unsupported dates, immature configurations, and weak business assumptions before resources are committed.
• Use Smartsheet as the execution system and SharePoint as the governed home for program artifacts. Use enterprise data and concise program views to support decisions, not to create administrative theater.
• Simplify governance where work does not change the outcome while protecting non-negotiable controls for requirements, safety, compliance, design release, verification, configuration, manufacturing readiness, financial exposure, and customer acceptance.
• Reduce firefighting, hidden work, repeated schedule reconstruction, field rework, and dependence on individual heroics by fixing the mechanisms that create recurring failure.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE:

• Commitments are based on validated scope, measurable acceptance criteria, a controlled configuration, credible resource assumptions, and an understood business case.
• The integrated schedule is trusted because it reflects the real technical critical path, named resources, material lead times, verification cycles, and explicit priority decisions.
• Program and design reviews produce decisions and closure, not just status. Risks surface early enough to create choices before customer or business outcomes are compromised.
• Phase gates are evidence-based decisions. Scope, design, priority, and resource changes are quantified, approved, and propagated across affected programs.
• Products enter production and customer use with complete manufacturing, quality, service, documentation, and configuration readiness, reducing field recovery and engineering diversion.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience. An engineering or similarly technical foundation is strongly preferred.
• At least 6 years of experience in program management, systems engineering, product development, engineering leadership, operations, or a related field, including ownership of complex cross-functional hardware programs.
• Direct experience with semiconductor capital equipment, industrial automation, robotics, mechatronics, medical devices, aerospace, or similarly complex electromechanical hardware/software NPI from definition through production and customer deployment.
• Technical fluency in products combining mechanisms, motion or robotics, electrical controls, sensors, embedded or application software, safety systems, and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to read and interrogate requirements, configurations, BOM structures, drawings and specifications, interface definitions, DFMEA/PFMEA, verification plans and reports, defect data, engineering-change records, deviations, and manufacturing-release evidence.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical design and program reviews, questioning design changes and engineering assumptions, and converting unresolved work into explicit risk, schedule impact, resource demand, and decision requirements.
• Demonstrated ownership of integrated master schedules, critical-path management, resource and dependency planning, recovery planning, baseline control, and formal change control.
• Working knowledge of configuration management, prototype-to-production maturation, supplier and component lead-time risk, verification and validation, failure analysis, defect closure, production transfer, and ramp.
• Evidence of influencing without authority and challenging functional leaders, customers, or senior stakeholders with facts, options, business impact, and a clear recommendation.
• Ability to connect execution to program investment, NRE, product cost, margin, revenue timing, customer satisfaction, and return on investment.
• Hands-on proficiency with Smartsheet or Microsoft Project plus Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and dashboard tools. Tool fluency must be paired with technical judgment and program leadership.

STRONGLY PREFERRED:

• Experience with semiconductor wafer-handling automation, vacuum robotics or systems, configurable platforms, OEM customer programs, and low-volume/high-complexity manufacturing.
• Experience recovering a distressed technical program with measurable improvement in schedule, cost, quality, capacity, or customer outcome.
• Experience improving phase-gate governance, portfolio prioritization, requirements and configuration control, change control, or executive operating cadence.
• Experience working across North America, Europe, and Asia with distributed engineering teams, manufacturing sites, suppliers, and customers.
• PMP, PgMP, systems-engineering, quality, or equivalent credentials are valued, but demonstrated technical judgment and ownership are more important.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND TRAVEL:

This role operates in a fast-paced, cross-functional technical environment and requires periodic travel to Brooks sites, customer locations, suppliers, and manufacturing facilities. Collaboration across global time zones is expected.

Compensation

Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

This position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus.

Benefits

At Brooks, we offer the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

• Medical, Dental, Vision and Disability Insurance

• 401(k) Plan

• Exempt employees are provided company paid holidays and Flexible Vacation to enjoy personal time off and incidental sickness.

Have a question about our benefits and compensation package? Your recruiter can share more with you during the hiring process.

Work Location & Flexibility
At Brooks, we aim to foster a collaborative and engaging environment while offering flexibility where possible. Work arrangements may include a mix of in-office and remote work, depending on the nature of the role and business needs. Specific expectations will be shared during the interview process.

Brooks is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and proudly serves as an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.

Diversity enhances our innovative capabilities and strengthens our ability to serve our customers and communities effectively. At Brooks Automation, we celebrate the unique experiences and perspectives each individual brings, believing they are essential to our collective success. Join us in building a workplace where every team member is valued and can thrive.

For applicants with disabilities requiring accommodations, don't hesitate to get in touch with [email protected] or call +1 (978) 262-2400 to discuss your needs.

Review EEO Law & EEO Statement.

Brooks Automation participates in E-Verify® to confirm eligibility for employment in the United States. For more details, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. E-Verify® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.