Principal Data Scientist

We are seeking a highly skilled Principle Data Scientist to lead the development of semiconductor fab digital twin models, advanced simulation frameworks, and AIdriven optimization solutions.
This role will design, build, and deploy predictive and prescriptive systems that enhance factory performance, improve decision-making, and drive operational excellence across complex manufacturing environments.

The ideal candidate combines deep knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing systems, simulation modeling, and machine learning/optimization techniques, with a proven ability to translate technical insights into impactful operational improvements.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of highfidelity digital twin models for semiconductor fab operations, enabling accurate representation of WIP flow, equipment behavior, capacity constraints, and factory dynamics.

• Develop advanced discreteevent, agentbased, or hybrid simulation frameworks to analyze cycle time, throughput, bottlenecks, and scheduling scenarios across complex manufacturing systems.

• Drive AI and MLenhanced simulation methodologies, including predictive modeling, prescriptive analytics, reinforcement learning, and optimization algorithms to improve factory performance and decisionmaking.

• Collaborate closely with Operations, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, and Data Science teams to translate operational challenges into simulation experiments and datadriven solutions.

• Build and maintain scalable simulation architectures that integrate real fab data (MES/EWS, equipment logs, sensor/IoT data) for continuous model calibration and accuracy improvement.

• Develop scenario analysis and whatif studies to support capacity planning, equipment purchase decisions, technology transitions, dispatching strategy evaluation, and cycletime reduction initiatives.

• Lead the creation of predictive and prescriptive decision-support systems, combining simulation, optimization, and machine learning to enhance scheduling, resource allocation, and operational agility.

• Own endtoend model validation and verification, ensuring technical robustness, traceability, and alignment with fab behavior and factory physics.

• Partner with IT/OT teams to operationalize digital twin models, integrating simulation capability into production environments and enabling real-time or nearrealtime decision intelligence.

• Mentor and guide junior engineers and data scientists, fostering technical excellence and best practices across modeling, simulation, and advanced analytics.

• Communicate insights, model results, and recommendations to technical and nontechnical stakeholders through clear reports, presentations, and dashboards.

• Continuously evaluate emerging technologies in simulation, AI, optimization, and digital twin platforms to drive innovation and maintain competitive advantage for Micron's smart manufacturing strategy.

Required Qualification
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
- PhD in a relevant discipline is a plus (e.g., Operations Research, Simulation Modeling, Digital Twin, Applied AI/ML).
- Strong foundation in semiconductor manufacturing systems, factory physics, and production planning concepts.
- Solid understanding of discreteevent simulation (DES), agentbased modeling, or hybrid simulation approaches.
- Knowledge of statistics, optimization, and applied machine learning.

Required Experience
- 512+ years of experience in semiconductor fab operations, digital twin development, or manufacturing optimization roles.
- Hands-on experience building digital twin models for complex production systems (preferably 300mm/200mm fabs).
- Proven track record designing or implementing:
. Discrete-event simulation models for cycle time, WIP behavior, bottleneck analysis, or capacity planning.
. AI/ML-based optimization (dispatching, scheduling, predictive modeling, anomaly detection).
- Experience working with EWS/MES systems, fab scheduling/dispatching rules, and lot/equipment behavior.
- Demonstrated collaboration with cross-functional teams (Ops, IE, Manufacturing Engineering, Data Science).
- Experience deploying solutions into production IT/OT environments is a strong advantage.

Skillset

1.Simulation & Modeling

- Expertise in tools like AnyLogic, FlexSim, Simio, Plant Simulation, Arena, or custom Python-based simulation frameworks.
- Capability to build scalable, data-driven, and object-oriented fab digital twin architectures.
- Knowledge of factory physics, queueing theory, throughput modeling, and bottleneck analysis.

2. AI, Optimization & Analytics

- Strong skills in Python, including libraries for:

. ML/AI: scikitlearn, TensorFlow/PyTorch (optional)
. Optimization: ORTools, Pyomo, Gurobi/CPLEX
. Data processing: pandas, NumPy, SQL

- Familiarity with reinforcement learning, heuristic optimization, or hybrid AIsimulation methods.
- Ability to design predictive models, prescriptive analytics, and real-time optimization algorithms

3. Soft Skills
- Strong analytical mindset with the ability to simplify complex system behavior.
- Excellent communication skills for explaining models, assumptions, and results to non-technical stakeholders.
- Ability to lead technical initiatives, mentor junior engineers, and drive cross-functional collaboration.
- Proactive problem-solving approach and ownership mindset.

Designs, develops and programs methods, processes, and systems to consolidate and analyze unstructured, diverse big data sources to generate actionable insights and solutions for client services and product enhancement. Interacts with product and service teams to identify questions and issues for data analysis and experiments. Develops and codes software programs, algorithms and automated processes to cleanse, integrate and evaluate large datasets from multiple disparate sources. Identifies meaningful insights from large data and metadata sources interprets and communicates insights and findings from analysis and experiments to product, service, and business managers.