08 - Lead Process Engineer, Conformal Coating

Req ID: 137611 
Region: Americas 
Country: USA 
State/Province: Texas 
City:  Plano 

Summary

The Conformal Coating Engineer for our Solar/Alternative Energy division is responsible for developing, optimizing, and maintaining coating processes for PCBAs deployed in harsh outdoor environments. Because solar electronics (such as inverters, optimizers, and tracking controllers) face extreme thermal cycling, high UV exposure, and moisture over a 15-25 year lifespan, this role focuses heavily on long-term reliability, high-voltage electrical isolation, and environmental ruggedization.

Detailed Description

Key Responsibilities

• Process Engineering for Harsh Environments: Develop, validate, and document coating processes using materials optimized for outdoor resilience (e.g., UV-stabilized silicones, heavy-duty urethanes) to protect against moisture ingress, salt spray, and dust.
• High-Voltage & Creepage Compliance: Ensure coating application meets stringent dielectric breakdown strength requirements, mitigating risks of arcing and surface tracking on high-power solar PCBAs.
• Reliability & Environmental Testing: Support qualification testing mimicking field conditions, including accelerated aging, thermal shock (e.g., -40°C to 85°C+), damp heat ($85^\circ\text{C}$ / 85% RH), and UV degradation studies.
• Defect Elimination: Lead troubleshooting for critical outdoor failure modes like delamination, filiform corrosion, or cracking due to thermal expansion mismatch.
• Automated Equipment Programming: Program and optimize selective coating systems to ensure precise keep-out zones around high-power terminals, connectors, and thermal management components.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all coating materials and processes comply with safety standards specific to renewable energy electronics, including UL 746E and relevant IEC standards.

Knowledge/Skills/Competencies

Technical Proficiency:

• Deep understanding of IPC-CC-830 and IPC-A-610 Class 3 (High Reliability) standards.
• Expertise in automated selective coating equipment (e.g., Nordson ASYMTEK, PVA) and curing systems (UV, thermal moisture-cure).
• Familiarity with the chemical and mechanical properties of coatings under continuous UV and thermal stress.
• Soft Skills: Data-driven problem solver (DOE, FMEA) with the ability to collaborate closely with Hardware Design and Quality teams.

Preferred Skills

• Knowledge of potting/encapsulation compounds (often used alongside coatings in solar inverters).
• Experience with UL/IEC certification processes for outdoor electronic enclosures.
• Six Sigma Green or Black Belt

Physical Demands

• Duties of this position are performed in a normal office environment.
• Duties may require extended periods of sitting and sustained visual concentration on a computer monitor or on numbers and other detailed data. 
• Repetitive manual movements (e.g., data entry, using a computer mouse, using a calculator, etc.) are frequently required.
• Occasional travel may be required.

Typical Experience

• Experience: 3-5+ years of experience in PCBA conformal coating, with a strong preference for high-power electronics, automotive, or outdoor industrial applications.

Typical Education

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.
• Educational Requirements may vary by Geography

Notes

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities of the position. Employees are held accountable for all duties of the job. Job duties and the % of time identified for any function are subject to change at any time.

Celestica is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws. 
This policy applies to hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral and other aspects of employment and also states that retaliation against a person who files a charge of discrimination, participates in a discrimination proceeding, or otherwise opposes an unlawful employment practice will not be tolerated. All information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
Celestica is an E-Verify employer.

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Celestica, Inc. (NYSE: CLS; TSX: CLS) is a technology leader dedicated to driving customer success and market advancements. With deep expertise in design, engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and platform solutions, Celestica enables critical data center infrastructure for AI, cloud, and hybrid cloud and advances technologies in high-growth markets. With a talented team and a strategic global network, Celestica helps its customers achieve competitive advantages.

Today, Celestica delivers innovative supply chain solutions globally to customers in strategic two operating and reporting segments:  Advanced Technology Solutions (ATS) and Connectivity and Cloud Solutions (CC):

ATS: This segment serves customers in complex, regulated and high-reliability markets such as Industrial & Smart Energy, Aerospace & Defense, Semiconductor Capital Equipment, and HealthTech. It is engineering led, with deep expertise in design, manufacturing and lifecycle solutions.

CCS: This segment focuses on high-performance technology solutions and services for the data center, serving hyperscalers, digital native customers and enterprises. Celestica's Platform Solutions offering provides innovative and customizable computing, storage and networking solutions enabling AI-driven growth.

Built on a legacy of trust and performance, Celestica has earned its reputation by delivering results in complex and fast-changing markets. Celestica exceeds customer expectations by identifying trends and staying ahead of the curve. Backed by comprehensive capabilities and a global network across North America, Europe and Asia, Celestica helps customers gain competitive advantage with the quality, flexibility and resiliency they need to respond quickly to shifts in demand. Guided by a bold vision to accelerate market advancements, Celestica delivers innovative solutions and technologies that turn complexity into opportunity. Anchored in teamwork and commitment, Celestica strives to be the most trusted partner to its customers and colleagues worldwide.

Celestica would like to thank all applicants, however, only qualified applicants will be contacted.
Celestica does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies or fee based recruitment services.