Manufacturing Engineer

Our Client is a growing contract electronics manufacturer specializing in SMT and electronic assembly for a diverse range of customers. We are a smaller, hands on organization where employees have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the business.
We are looking for an experienced SMT Manufacturing Engineer who can help optimize our manufacturing processes, support new product introduction, troubleshoot production issues, and improve quality, efficiency, and throughput.
Position Overview
The SMT Manufacturing Engineer will be responsible for developing, implementing, and continuously improving manufacturing processes for SMT and electronic assembly operations.
This is a hands on engineering role that will work closely with production, quality, purchasing, and customers to ensure products can be manufactured efficiently, consistently, and to specification.
The ideal candidate has strong SMT experience and enjoys working on the manufacturing floor. This person should be comfortable troubleshooting problems, working directly with equipment and operators, and taking ownership of projects from initial setup through production.
Key Responsibilities
SMT Process Engineering

• Develop, document, and improve SMT manufacturing processes
• Develop and optimize SMT machine programs, line setups, feeder configurations, and changeovers
• Support solder paste printing, pick and place, reflow, AOI, SPI, and other SMT processes
• Establish and maintain process parameters to improve quality, yield, and throughput
• Troubleshoot manufacturing and process issues and implement corrective actions
• Analyze production data and defect trends to identify opportunities for improvement
• Develop and maintain work instructions, process documentation, and manufacturing procedures

New Product Introduction

• Support new product introduction from prototype through production
• Review customer designs, BOMs, drawings, and manufacturing documentation
• Identify DFM and DFT issues before products enter production
• Develop manufacturing processes, tooling, fixtures, and production documentation
• Support first article builds and production validation
• Work with customers and internal teams to resolve manufacturing issues
• Provide feedback to customers and engineering teams regarding manufacturability, component selection, and process requirements

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve manufacturing efficiency, quality, and capacity
• Reduce scrap, rework, defects, and production downtime
• Implement Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives
• Develop and track process metrics and manufacturing KPIs
• Perform root cause analysis and implement corrective actions
• Improve line balancing, setup time, changeover time, and material flow
• Evaluate new equipment, tooling, processes, and technologies

Equipment and Troubleshooting

• Support installation, setup, programming, and optimization of SMT equipment
• Troubleshoot equipment and process problems on the production floor
• Work with equipment vendors and service technicians as needed
• Develop preventive maintenance and process control procedures
• Assist with equipment selection and capital expenditure projects
• Maintain ESD and other manufacturing process controls

Quality

• Work closely with Quality to identify and resolve production defects
• Analyze defects related to soldering, component placement, reflow, printing, and assembly
• Conduct root cause analysis using appropriate problem solving methodologies
• Support corrective and preventive actions
• Ensure manufacturing processes meet customer specifications and applicable IPC standards
• Help establish process controls to ensure consistent production quality

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field preferred
• 3+ years of hands on SMT or electronics manufacturing experience
• Strong understanding of SMT manufacturing processes
• Experience with SMT equipment, including pick and place, solder paste printers, reflow ovens, AOI, and SPI
• Experience creating or modifying SMT machine programs
• Strong understanding of soldering, component placement, reflow profiles, and PCB assembly
• Ability to read schematics, PCB layouts, BOMs, drawings, and manufacturing documentation
• Experience with DFM and manufacturing process development
• Strong troubleshooting and problem solving skills
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement
• Strong analytical and communication skills
• Ability to work hands on in a fast paced manufacturing environment

Preferred Experience

• Experience in a contract electronics manufacturing environment
• Experience with high mix, low to medium volume production
• Experience with SMT equipment such as Fuji, Juki, Yamaha, Panasonic, ASM, Mycronic, or similar
• Experience with AOI and SPI systems
• IPC certification or strong knowledge of IPC standards
• Experience with ERP or manufacturing systems
• Experience supporting customer interactions and engineering reviews
• Six Sigma or Lean Manufacturing certification
• Experience with CAD or PCB design software

The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a hands on SMT engineer who knows how to make things work on the manufacturing floor.
You should be someone who can look at a new PCB, understand how it needs to be built, develop the process, program the equipment, troubleshoot problems when production starts, and then continuously improve the process.
Because we are a smaller contract manufacturing company, this role requires someone who is comfortable wearing multiple hats. You will not be sitting in an office handing problems off to someone else. We need an engineer who enjoys getting on the floor, working with operators and technicians, solving problems, and taking ownership from beginning to end.