Process Engineer

We are seeking a hands-on Process Engineer to take technical ownership of aerospace electroplating and metal-finishing processes. This is a high-impact opportunity for an engineer or experienced plating process specialist who understands what happens at the tank, on the production floor and within a controlled aerospace process plan. A successful candidate will be comfortable working with drawings and specifications, investigating problems on the production floor and converting technical requirements into practical, controlled instructions.

Job Description

• Provide technical ownership and continuous improvement for hard chrome plating and related aerospace electroplating processes.
• Support cadmium plating, electroless nickel, masking, chemical conversion coating, passivation, Nital Etch, cleaning, activation, stripping, baking and surface preparation.
• Develop, validate and maintain technique sheets, master routings, process plans and work instructions for new and existing aerospace components.
• Translate customer drawings, purchase orders and aerospace specifications into clear production requirements, including process sequence, specification revision, critical parameters, masking boundaries, tooling, inspection points and required records.
• Engineer plating methods for precision-machined components involving dimensional buildup, plating allowance, inside and outside diameters, runout, edge effects, current density and post-plating machining or grinding.
• Develop and improve racks, fixtures, plugs, masking methods, auxiliary anodes, shields and other tooling required for consistent results.
• Establish and control critical parameters such as bath chemistry, temperature, amperage, voltage, current density, plating time, agitation, filtration and solution movement.
• Lead root-cause investigations involving adhesion failure, thickness variation, burning, pitting, nodules, roughness, porosity, corrosion failure and hydrogen-embrittlement risk.
• Partner with laboratory and chemical-control personnel on bath analysis, additions, contamination control, tank maintenance and corrective action.
• Support Nadcap Chemical Processing audits, corrective actions and objective evidence while contributing to AS9100 implementation and disciplined document control.
• Support new-product introduction, first-article readiness, process validation and customer or original equipment manufacturer technical reviews.
• Train plating technicians, maskers, supervisors, planners and inspectors on process requirements and technical fundamentals.
• Improve first-pass yield, process capability, cycle time, repeatability and reduction of rework and scrap.

Qualifications

• Three or more years of direct process engineering, technical process ownership or advanced manufacturing experience involving aerospace electroplating or chemical processing.
• Hands-on technical knowledge of hard chrome plating in an aerospace, aviation, defense or similarly controlled precision-manufacturing environment.
• Experience processing precision-machined components where plating thickness, dimensional tolerance, masking boundaries and post-processing are critical.
• Ability to interpret aerospace drawings, specifications, purchase-order requirements and process standards.
• Working knowledge of plating chemistry, electrochemistry, current density, rectification, anode and cathode relationships, bath control, filtration and process troubleshooting.
• Experience developing or maintaining technique sheets, routings, work instructions, process plans or other controlled manufacturing documentation.
• Demonstrated root-cause analysis, corrective-action and technical-writing ability.
• Ability to work full-time and on-site in Sun Valley, California.

Equivalent hands-on aerospace plating experience will be considered. A specific degree is not required when the candidate can demonstrate the technical depth needed to own these processes.

Additional Information

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Take meaningful technical ownership rather than serving only in a support capacity.
• Work directly with specialized aerospace processes and precision components.
• Replace tribal knowledge with lasting, controlled engineering methods.
• Influence process capability, quality, delivery and equipment improvements.
• Join an established Southern California aerospace-processing operation with an immediate need for your expertise.

Apply Today

If you have direct aerospace hard chrome or closely related electroplating experience, apply even if you do not meet every preferred qualification. Please submit a résumé that identifies the plating processes you have supported, the types of aerospace parts you have processed and your experience with technique sheets, specifications, audits or process troubleshooting.

Qualified candidates will be contacted promptly for a confidential initial conversation.

The employer provides equal employment opportunities to qualified applicants and employees in accordance with applicable federal, state and local law.