Senior Director, Product Unit - Surface Modification

Position Overview

As the Senior Director of Surface Modification, you will lead and evolve a strategic business and technology vertical within ASM. This role is accountable for advancing Surface Modification capabilities—including pre-clean, post-treatment, and standalone platforms—by driving innovation, execution excellence, and cross-functional alignment across a broad, global engineering and product ecosystem.

Responsibilities

• Executive leadership for the Surface Modification (SM) Group, managing a high-performing, multidisciplinary organization of ~25–30 professionals across hardware engineering, process development, product support, and product management.

• Define and execute the strategic vision and growth roadmap for Surface Modification technologies, including emerging standalone products and enabling modules for integrated pre-clean and post-treatment.
• Collaborate closely with Key Product Unit (KPU) and Global Product Marketing (GPM) leadership to align technology innovation with overall business objectives and market opportunities.
• Ensure operational excellence and delivery across all development programs, meeting quality, cost, and timeline commitments while enhancing competitiveness and customer value.
• Cultivate a customer-centric organization by partnering with key customers and the Key Account Technology (KAT) team to understand evolving needs and secure successful product qualifications.
• Serve as the executive sponsor for complex cross-organizational initiatives, aligning R&D, marketing, and operations on shared goals.
• Drive organizational development by building and scaling leadership capacity, including direct management of seasoned managers and development of future leaders.
• Contribute actively to ASM’s long-term strategic planning and play a pivotal role in shaping the company’s product and technology portfolio in advanced materials engineering.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• 13+ years of progressive experience in the semiconductor industry (capital equipment preferred), with significant leadership roles spanning surface engineering, process technology, or adjacent domains (CVD, PVD, plasma treatment, etc.).
• Proven track record in incubating and delivering new product platforms from concept through commercialization in a global, fast-paced innovation environment.
• Demonstrated success leading managers and senior technical professionals, with a strong emphasis on talent development and organizational scalability.
• Strategic thinker with exceptional execution discipline and the ability to influence across functions and cultures.
• Strong customer orientation and experience navigating technical engagements with global semiconductor manufacturers.
• Familiarity with product lifecycle management (PLC), operational efficiency frameworks, and go-to-market strategies.
• Effective decision-maker with a pragmatic and collaborative leadership style
• Exceptional communicator and problem solver with strong interpersonal and organizational skills
• Committed to developing talent, fostering collaboration, and building high-performance cultures