Senior Principal Research Officer, Facilities, CSPO

Job Summary

Facilities Operations & Reliability

• Provide strategic oversight of daily facilities operations, ensuring high uptime and reliability of critical infrastructure supporting semiconductor and research activities

Cleanroom, Biosafety Lab and Technical Environment Management

• Oversee operations of cleanroom facilities, ensuring compliance with required ISO classifications and contamination control standards

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, develop, and mentor a team of engineers, technicians, and facilities professionals

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Act as the key interface between facilities, research teams, and corporate stakeholders within A*STAR
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure operational alignment and support business continuity

Compliance, Safety & Governance

• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements, particularly in high-risk semiconductor environments

Capacity Planning & Monitoring

• Develop and maintain capacity plans for key infrastructure systems (e.g., power, cooling, process utilities, space utilisation)
• Implement monitoring frameworks and data analytics to track system performance, utilisation, and trends
• Identify capacity constraints, risks, and optimisation opportunities, providing proactive recommendations
• Align capacity planning with business growth, research demands, and future expansion requirements

Capital Planning, Financial & Strategic Management

• Manage facilities operating budgets, including forecasting, cost control, and optimisation initiatives
• Identify opportunities for efficiency improvements, energy savings, and sustainable operations
• Support long-term planning for infrastructure upgrades, capacity expansion, and capital investments
• Lead the development of short- and long-term capital plans (CAPEX) aligned with organisational strategy

Continuous Improvement & Innovation

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across the facilities portfolio, including digitalisation, automation, and smart facilities management solutions
• Implement best practices in facilities engineering and semiconductor operations to enhance performance and resilience
• Champion innovation in facilities management to support evolving organisational and industry needs

Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, or a related discipline (Mechanical, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering preferred)
• 10+ years of relevant experience in facilities or engineering operations, with at least 3–5 years in a leadership role
• Proven experience managing multidisciplinary teams of engineers, technicians, and service partners in complex environments
• Strong working knowledge of semiconductor or high-spec environments (e.g., cleanrooms, process utilities, contamination control)
• Experience in managing critical systems such as HVAC, cleanroom systems, UPW (Ultra-Pure Water), CDA, gas systems, and electrical infrastructure
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks, workplace safety standards, and audit requirements
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across technical and non-technical teams
• Demonstrated experience in leading or supporting facilities projects, including upgrades, expansions, and system retrofits