Director, Water Treatment and Reclaim (WTR)

About Samsung Austin Semiconductor
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Position Summary

As the Director of Water and Wastewater Treatment and Reclaim team, you'll provide strategic and operational leadership for the design, construction, commissioning, operations, and maintenance of Samsung Austin Semiconductor's Ultrapure Water (UPW) and Industrial Wastewater Treatment (IWT) systems at the Taylor site. You'll be accountable for utility reliability, quality, safety, regulatory compliance, financial performance, and long-term infrastructure development to support semiconductor manufacturing.

You'll lead a multidisciplinary organization with a minimum of five direct reports, approximately 80 in-house employees, and up to 60 embedded contractors across engineering, operations, and maintenance. You'll oversee capital projects, infrastructure upgrades, equipment reliability, and system performance while ensuring teams maintain established KPIs, technical specifications, and utility quality standards.

In addition, you'll own the long-term strategic planning and capacity expansion of the Taylor site's water and wastewater infrastructure, aligning investments with future manufacturing requirements. You'll manage external utility providers, contractors, and strategic partners while representing Samsung in engagements with regulatory agencies, government officials, and other stakeholders.

Through effective leadership, technical oversight, and continuous improvement, you'll ensure safe, reliable, compliant, and cost-effective utility services while developing a high-performing organization capable of supporting the site's current and future needs.

Role and Responsibilities

Here's What You'll Be Responsible For:

- Leading the design, construction, commissioning, operations, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the site's UPW and IWT systems.

- Managing a multidisciplinary organization of at least five direct reports, approximately 80 employees, and up to 60 embedded contractors.

- Owning long-term utility strategies, infrastructure master planning, capital investments, and capacity expansion to support the Taylor site's future development.

- Directing engineering and capital projects, including equipment specifications, design reviews, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness.

- Ensuring all utility systems meet engineering specifications, water quality standards, operational requirements, and regulatory obligations.

- Establishing and overseeing KPIs for system reliability, utility quality, maintenance effectiveness, safety, operating efficiency, and financial performance.

- Ensuring engineering teams effectively monitor utility quality, manage system performance, and address specification deviations.

- Overseeing operations and maintenance programs, including preventive maintenance, FMCS monitoring, troubleshooting, equipment repairs, and system upgrades.

- Managing external utility providers, contractors, consultants, and vendors to ensure reliable service, contract compliance, and cost effectiveness.

- Representing Samsung with regulatory agencies, government officials, utility authorities, and external stakeholders.

- Developing and managing operating budgets, capital expenditures, staffing plans, and commercial agreements.

- Driving safety, reliability, operational excellence, sustainability, and continuous improvement initiatives.

- Developing organizational capabilities, management effectiveness, technical expertise, and succession planning.

Safety Leadership:

- Leading engineering, operations, maintenance, and contractor teams to achieve world-class safety performance.

- Establishing accountability for safe work practices, hazard prevention, and compliance with Samsung EHS standards.

- Driving employee and contractor safety competencies through training, incident prevention, and continuous improvement.

Achieve World Class Results:

- Anticipating future manufacturing demands and developing long-term water and wastewater infrastructure strategies.

- Ensuring reliable UPW and IWT operations through effective engineering oversight, maintenance programs, and performance management.

- Establishing KPIs and ensuring teams actively monitor system availability, utility quality, treatment performance, and equipment reliability.

- Directing troubleshooting, root cause investigations, major repairs, and infrastructure upgrades to minimize operational disruptions.

- Leading capital projects and system improvements to increase capacity, efficiency, reliability, and sustainability.

- Implementing innovative technologies and industry best practices to improve system performance and reduce operating costs.

High Level Representation:

- Serving as the senior departmental representative for technical, operational, commercial, and strategic matters.

- Managing relationships and performance of external utility providers, engineering firms, vendors, and contractors.

- Representing Samsung in engagements with regulatory agencies, government officials, and municipal utility authorities.

- Leading commercial negotiations, service agreements, and strategic partnerships supporting current operations and future expansion.

- Collaborating with Samsung's global semiconductor facilities, including Korea and China, to align engineering standards, technologies, and utility strategies.

Ensure Compliance:

- Ensuring UPW and IWT systems meet applicable engineering specifications, quality requirements, environmental permits, and regulatory standards.

- Maintaining compliance with OSHA, local, state, and federal regulations, and Samsung EHS requirements.

- Ensuring engineering and operations teams maintain appropriate monitoring, testing, inspection, and documentation programs for utility quality and system performance.

- Overseeing regulatory inspections, compliance reporting, corrective actions, and agency coordination.

- Partnering with the Environmental Health & Safety department to maintain safe and compliant operations.

Employee Development:

- Leading a large, multidisciplinary organization of engineering, operations, and maintenance professionals.

- Developing managers and technical leaders through coaching, performance management, and succession planning.

- Establishing a culture of accountability, continuous learning, collaboration, and operational excellence.

- Attracting, retaining, and developing technical expertise to support current operations and future site expansion.

Skills and Qualifications

Here's What You'll Need:

- 15+ years of progressive experience in engineering, construction, operations, or maintenance of large-scale industrial utility systems, including significant leadership experience.

- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, preferably Chemical, Mechanical, Environmental, Civil, or a related discipline. Advanced degree preferred.

- Extensive knowledge of Ultrapure Water (UPW) and Industrial Wastewater Treatment (IWT) systems, preferably within semiconductor manufacturing.

- Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary teams, including engineering, operations, maintenance, and contractors.

- Experience directing large-scale capital projects, infrastructure development, commissioning, and system upgrades.

- Strong knowledge of utility quality requirements, engineering specifications, system reliability, maintenance programs, and regulatory compliance.

- Proven ability to develop long-term infrastructure strategies, establish performance KPIs, and drive operational improvements.

- Experience managing operating budgets, capital investments, external utility providers, and commercial agreements.

- Strong leadership, technical problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage senior executives and government agencies.

Total Rewards
At Samsung Austin Semiconductor, base pay is just one part of our total compensation package. The base compensation for this role will depend on education, experience, skills, and location.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance and 401(k) matching with immediate vesting
• Onsite café(s) and workout facilities
• Paid maternity and paternity leave
• Paid time off (PTO) + 2 personal holidays and 10 regular holidays
• Wellness incentives and MORE
   

Eligible full-time employees (salaried or hourly) may also receive MBO bonuses based on company, division, and individual performance.

All positions at Samsung Austin Semiconductor are full-time on-site.

Trade Secrets
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