MES Engineer Program Manager

ENABLE your future through light.

Excelitas is a global technology leader with more than 7,500 employees, focused on delivering market-driven solutions to fulfill the illumination, optical, detection and imaging needs of OEMs and end-users across the biomedical, semiconductor, industrial, consumer products, scientific, security, defense and aerospace sectors.

ENGAGE with us today and make your contribution to the future! Join the team that leading technology companies turn to for cutting-edge photonic innovation. At Excelitas Technologies you are how we EXCEL.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced MES Engineer Program Manager to lead and manage site-level implementations of Siemens Opcenter Execution Semiconductor across our manufacturing operations which include photonics and semiconductor industries. This role will join the current Opcenter MES implementation, and lead the subsequent site implementations from planning and discovery through go-live, stabilization, and handoff.

This is a hands-on implementation and delivery role for an engineer who can connect manufacturing operations with technology implementation, guide cross-functional teams, and apply a common solution while addressing legitimate site-specific needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead assigned site implementations, developing and maintaining the site plan, milestones, dependencies, resource needs, risks, issues, actions, and status reporting.
• Assess site readiness and physical/process model gaps; document processes and data flows, identify local deviations, and drive implementation decisions.
• Facilitate cross-functional alignment and translate manufacturing, quality, operations, and compliance needs into clear requirements (process, functional, and data) and acceptance criteria.
• Build process models based on business specifications and assist the business experts in preparing and executing MES based process models.
• Serve as the primary implementation coordinator between site leadership, operations, process engineering, quality, OTG, IT, and external consultants.
• Coordinate with IT and site members on ERP manufacturing master data, transactional flows, interface behavior, exception handling, and cutover dependencies between the MES and the ERP.
• Maintain site governance for scope, requirements traceability, and controlled template changes.
• Coordinate testing and validation, including scenario development, System Integration Testing (SIT) support, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), defect triage, regression testing, data validation, and readiness criteria.
• Lead operational readiness and change-management activities, including stakeholder communications, impact assessments, procedure updates, training plans and materials, train-the-trainer delivery, and support-model preparation.
• Coordinate site data readiness, cutover, go-live, and hypercare; track stabilization and transition the solution to ongoing support.
• Capture lessons learned, improve site implementation playbooks, templates, checklists, estimates, and governance, and prioritize post-go-live improvements from operational feedback.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Manufacturing Systems, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment, including 3+ years working with MES, or digital shop-floor implementations.
• Experience participating in or leading at least one MES, digital manufacturing, or shop-floor system implementation across multiple lifecycle phases.
• Hands-on experience with Siemens Opcenter Execution Semiconductor or another enterprise MES platform preferred.
• Experience with SAP-to-MES integration, manufacturing master data, interface testing, or production transaction flows preferred.
• Experience in semiconductor, high-tech, regulated, or other complex manufacturing environments preferred.
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or other structured process-improvement methods preferred.
• Project management or change management certification preferred.

Key Skills

• Working knowledge of data mapping, SQL/reporting, APIs or middleware, and industrial automation interfaces.
• Ability to influence without direct authority and communicate effectively with operators, engineers, site leaders, IT/OT teams, consultants, and program leadership.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills; able to work independently and manage competing priorities.

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $139K - $176K.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

Minorities/Females/Disability/Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation

Excelitas is seeking leaders and innovators to join our global team! Visit: https://jobs.excelitas.com/