Global Wafer Systems IT Support Manager (Factory IT Operations & AI Transformation) – ONSITE

About our group:

The global demand for data storage is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, and this growth is reshaping the scale, speed, and expectations of modern manufacturing. To meet this demand, our wafer fabs in Minnesota and Northern Ireland are already among the most advanced production environments in the world and must expand capability, throughput, and operational excellence.

To support this expansion, we are hiring across IT support, factory controls, and project management. We are looking for individuals who can rethink these roles for the next era of manufacturing and are people who bring curiosity, technical depth, and the ability to operate in new ways as workloads scale.

A defining characteristic of these roles is an AI first mindset. As part of Global Factory ITs agentic shift, you will help redesign Wafer FAB support, deployment, and configuration activities to meet new demands. You will bring fresh perspectives on existing and new tasks and help pioneer new patterns of collaboration between humans and AI, shaping the next generation of digital workforces and manufacturing systems leaders.

Joining us means contributing to the systems and solutions that will enable our wafer fabs to keep pace with the world’s hunger for data, while building the skills and experiences that define the future of factory operations.

About the role – you will:

• Lead, develop and manage a team of support technicians and engineers at Normandale fabrication site working in conjunction with Springtown site.
• Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Own end-to-end support of Factory IT systems, solutions, FAB endpoints in a high-availability manufacturing environment.
• Drive operational excellence through ITIL best practices (Incident, Problem, Change, and Service Management).
• Drive standardization of support models, tools, governance, escalation frameworks, and operational metrics across sites.
• Provide leadership during major incidents (SEV1/critical events), ensuring rapid restoration and clear communication.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational discipline.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (process engineering, factory systems, automation teams) to identify improvement opportunities.
• Lead and deliver key IT, Info security and digital transformation initiatives across factory environments.
• Translate operational challenges into scalable IT and automation solutions.
• Drive automation, system enhancements, and process optimization initiatives to improve efficiency and productivity.
• Lead adoption and deployment of Agentic AI solutions to automate operational workflows and enhance IT operations.
• Champion an AI-first mindset across the team and broader organization.
• Partner with Infosec teams, operations & engineering teams to safeguard production environments.
• Own and drive info security compliance across factory IT systems, ensuring alignment with corporate standards and regulatory requirements.
• Lead vulnerability management, patching strategies, and security initiatives.
• Provide Incident Management leadership on a rotation basis, taking full ownership of escalations and service restoration outside business hours.

About you:

• Curious and practical about GenAI. Experience with, or strong desire to learn, how to build and deploy GenAI agents to automate and streamline operational workflows.
• Have an automation mindset. Continually looks for repeatable work to standardize and automate processes.
• Demonstrate strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to think beyond standard approaches.
• Work with the Global Factory IT Team to execute transformation through the strategic adoption and adaptation of AI solutions, aiming to develop improved operational efficiency and productivity.
• Strong problem-solving mindset with a focus on operational outcomes.
• Ability to lead in high-pressure, incident-driven environments.
• Analytical thinker with technical hands-on execution capability.
• Continuous improvement and automation-first mindset.
• Ability to work seamlessly with cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication skills to convey complex technical information clearly.
• Flexibility to adapt to new challenges and rapidly changing technological landscapes.

Your experience includes:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience leading IT support, operations, and/or software development.
• Strong track record managing diverse cross-site teams and complex production systems.
• Proven experience in IT Project Management planning and executing key projects.
• Strong technical expertise, technical leadership, managerial skills, and ability to align operational priorities with business goals.
• Deep understanding of IT Service Management (ITIL or similar frameworks).
• Experience driving AI/automation initiatives (GenAI / Agentic AI exposure preferred).

You Might Also Have:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, or Computing and/or related field and 8+ years of experience, or Master’s degree in Engineering, or Computing and/or related field and 6+ years of experience, or PhD and 3+ years of experience or equivalent education and experience.
• Experience or interest in developing Python agents (LangChain or similar) and/or n8n workflows that utilize Large Language Models (LLMs) non-developers can run and extend and experience using or building MCP servers/tools.
• Experience in wafer manufacturing / semiconductor environment.
• Exposure Factory IT Systems, MES, or automation platforms.
• IT Project Management Experience in Agile Delivery and large-scale transformation programs.
• In-depth knowledge of Seagate’s wafer fabrication processes, including process engineering, operations, and equipment support teams.
• Software development experience: Familiar with multiple development platforms such as Java, .NET, and others.

The estimated base salary range for this position is $125,280.00 – $182,600.00. The individual salary is based on work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Seagate offers comprehensive benefits to its eligible employees, including, but not limited to, , eligibility to participate in discretionary bonus program, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, short-and long-term disability, 401(k), employee stock purchase plan, health savings account, dependent care, and healthcare spending accounts. Seagate also offers paid time off, including 12 holidays, flexible time off provided pursuant to Seagate policy, a minimum of 48 hours of paid sick leave, and 16 weeks of paid parental leave. The benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year and may differ depending on work location.

Location:

This position is an on‑site role based in Normandale, Minnesota.

Our Normandale campus spans two suburbs, Edina and Bloomington, and serves as the Recording Head development and manufacturing arm of Seagate. Located in the heart of a bustling community, Seagate offers an on-site café, or if you prefer, you can drive to one of many restaurants just minutes away. Need to grab a gift over lunch time? Shopping is abundant in the area. If working out is your thing, the on-site fully equipped fitness center hosts wellness programs, outdoor activities, tournaments and group workouts. Looking for something more laid back? Reset in one of our meditation rooms, or simply take a walk around our indoor walking path. On-site cultural festivals, celebrations and community volunteer opportunities also abound.

Location: Normandale, United States

Travel: Up to 10%

Read Full Description