ETA Surface Treatment Department Head

About ETA

ETA is a benchmark of Swiss horological expertise, renowned for designing and producing precision movements that power many of the world’s most respected watches. As part of the Swatch Group, the manufacture combines industrial excellence, technical innovation, and a deep respect for traditional watchmaking savoir-faire. As an employer, ETA offers a highly specialized environment where engineers, micromechanics, technicians, and operational talents contribute to products defined by reliability, accuracy, and refinement. The company values discipline, craftsmanship, continuous improvement, and collaborative expertise, providing careers at the heart of Switzerland’s watchmaking ecosystem and the future of mechanical and quartz movement technology.

Role & Responsibilities

• Lead and develop employees.
• Ensure compliance with quality (GMP), safety and deadline requirements.
• Plan, manage and coordinate activities within the department.
• Continuously improve the department’s structure, organization and workflows.
• Maintain effective collaboration with all departments, including Production, AVOR, Ligne Produit and Quality.
• Comply with and continuously improve all applicable processes.
• Control and optimize departmental costs; complete payroll clearing on time.
• Keep layout changes and inventory changes up to date.
• Conduct regular audits to verify compliance with requirements.
• Ensure adequate resources and availability of personnel and departmental operating equipment.
• Coordinate with HR to ensure suitable recruitment of new employees.
• Ensure deputy coverage.
• Plan training and professional development.
• Present departmental performance indicators.
• Coordinate and commission new equipment.
• Prepare investment requests.
• Work proactively to achieve defined factory targets.
• Handle hazardous substances.

Qualifications

• Completed vocational training in a surface-related field, such as electroplating or polishing.
• Further training in safety and the handling of chemicals, gases and hazardous substances.
• Extensive professional experience in production.
• Extensive leadership experience.
• Experience handling chemicals and hazardous substances.
• Very good practical and theoretical knowledge of safety.
• Written and spoken German and French.

Skills

Experience

Extensive professional experience in production and extensive leadership experience.

Education

Completed vocational training in a surface-related field, such as electroplating or polishing.

Benefits

Five or six weeks of annual leave depending on age and/or function; 40-hour working week under the collective agreement; attractive social benefits; three weeks of parental leave for fathers and up to 19 weeks for mothers; company restaurant; discounts on Swatch Group and partner-company products; sports activities and company events; contribution toward health insurance; further training opportunities; internal mobility and career prospects.

Culture

ETA offers a workplace culture rooted in Swiss precision, technical mastery, and continuous innovation within the watchmaking industry. As an employer, it fosters collaboration between engineers, artisans, and production specialists, valuing reliability, quality, and the transmission of specialized expertise across generations.

About Cerulean

Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.