Process Engineer

Process Engineer

The Process Engineer is the technical owner for assigned aerospace plating and finishing processes and is responsible for developing robust, repeatable and specification-compliant methods for precision machined components. This position bridges Engineering, Quality and Operations and must combine practical shop-floor plating knowledge with disciplined aerospace documentation. The engineer will improve process capability, develop technique sheets and master routings, solve chronic quality problems, support new-product introduction and ensure operators have clear, controlled instructions rather than relying on tribal knowledge.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide technical ownership and continuous improvement for hard chrome plating, cadmium plating, electroless nickel, masking, Chemfilm/chemical conversion coating, passivation, Nital Etch and associated cleaning, activation, stripping, baking and surface-preparation operations.
• Develop, validate and maintain detailed process/technique sheets and master routings for existing and new aerospace products, including operation sequence, specification/revision, critical parameters, masking boundaries, tooling, inspection points and required records.
• Translate customer drawings, purchase orders and aerospace specifications into clear, executable shop-floor instructions in partnership with Planning and Quality.
• Engineer plating methods for precision machined parts with attention to dimensional build-up, plating allowance, ID/OD requirements, runout, edge effects, current density, anode design, racking/fixturing and post-plate machining/grinding considerations.
• Develop and optimize masking methods, plugs, fixtures, racks, auxiliary anodes, thieves/shields and other tooling needed for repeatable plating results.
• Establish and control critical process parameters including bath chemistry, temperature, current density, amperage, voltage, plating time, agitation, filtration, solution movement and rectifier capability.
• Perform process capability and root-cause analysis for adhesion failures, thickness variation, burning, pitting, nodules, roughness, porosity, corrosion/salt-spray failures, hydrogen-embrittlement risk and other special-process defects.
• Partner with laboratory/chemical-control personnel on bath analysis, additions, contamination control, tank maintenance and corrective actions.
• Support Nadcap Chemical Processing readiness, audits, corrective actions, objective evidence and compliance to approved procedures and customer requirements.
• Support AS9100 implementation through process risk analysis, configuration/document control, change management, verification/validation, control of nonconforming output and objective evidence.
• Support NDT interfaces where process sequences require Magnetic Particle or Liquid Penetrant inspection before/after processing.
• Lead new-product introduction and first-article/process-readiness reviews; identify technical risk before releasing production.
• Establish standard times and process assumptions with Operations/Estimating using actual shop data to improve quoting, capacity planning and job costing.
• Dixon Hard Chrome | Aerospace Special Processing | Quality • Delivery • Operational Excellence
• Design or specify process equipment improvements including rectifiers, filtration, agitation, pumps, heating/cooling, tanks, tooling and instrumentation.
• Train and mentor plating technicians, maskers, supervisors, planners and inspectors on process requirements and technical fundamentals.
• Lead structured corrective action using 5-Why, fishbone, DOE/SPC or other appropriate analytical methods and verify effectiveness.
• Drive first-pass yield, process capability, cycle-time reduction, reduced rework/scrap and improved repeatability.
• Support customer/OEM technical reviews, frozen planning, specification interpretation and process approval activities.
• Maintain technical discipline around current specification revisions and ensure engineering changes are reviewed before implementation.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of process/manufacturing engineering experience in aerospace metal finishing, electroplating, chemical processing or a directly comparable special-process environment.
• Hands-on technical knowledge of hard chrome plating and cadmium plating is required; strong experience with electroless nickel, masking and aerospace chemical processing is highly desirable.
• Working knowledge of Chemfilm/chemical conversion coating, passivation and Nital Etch processes; candidate must be capable of rapidly owning these process families.
• Experience processing precision machined aerospace components where plating thickness, dimensional tolerance, masking boundaries and post-processing are critical.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret aerospace drawings, specifications, process standards and customer requirements and convert them into controlled manufacturing instructions.
• Knowledge of plating chemistry, electrochemistry, current density, rectification, anode/cathode relationships, solution control, agitation, filtration and process troubleshooting.
• Experience developing technique sheets, work instructions, routings, process plans or equivalent controlled manufacturing documentation.
• Working knowledge of Nadcap Chemical Processing expectations and aerospace QMS discipline.
• Strong root-cause analysis, statistical/problem-solving and technical-writing skills.
• Ability to work directly on the manufacturing floor with technicians and supervisors and translate engineering requirements into practical methods.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or related technical discipline; directly relevant plating engineering experience may be considered.
• Experience with Client, AMS, MIL, ASTM, customer/OEM special-process specifications or comparable aerospace requirements.
• Experience with AS9100 implementation or maintenance.
• Experience supporting Nadcap Chemical Processing audits.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, DOE/SPC experience or similar process-improvement training.
• Experience with ERP routings, Power BI, Minitab or comparable analytical/manufacturing systems.

Key Performance Indicators

• First-Pass Yield / Process Defect Reduction
• Rework and Scrap Reduction
• Technique Sheet / Master Routing Completion and Accuracy
• Process Capability / Parameter Control
• New-Product Introduction Readiness
• Corrective Action Effectiveness
• Dixon Hard Chrome | Aerospace Special Processing | Quality • Delivery • Operational Excellence
• Nadcap / AS9100 Technical Compliance
• Cycle-Time and Throughput Improvement
• Standard-Time / Job-Cost Accuracy
• Technician Training and Process Knowledge Transfer
• Leadership / Working Expectations

This is a hands-on, floor-visible position. The successful candidate is expected to lead with urgency, technical credibility, accountability, disciplined follow-through, and a strong commitment to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and continuous improvement.