Process Engineer

Job Summary

A growing precision manufacturing organization in Temecula, CA is seeking an experienced Process Engineer to support high-performance manufacturing operations serving aerospace, defense, and medical device markets. This direct hire opportunity is ideal for an engineering professional with a strong background in metallurgy, materials science, manufacturing engineering, or chemical engineering who enjoys solving complex production challenges and improving process reliability.

The Process Engineer will play a key technical role in developing, validating, optimizing, and sustaining manufacturing processes for precision optical components, coatings, and assemblies. This position offers the opportunity to work closely with leadership, manufacturing, quality, production, engineering teams, suppliers, and customers in a highly technical environment where process discipline, teamwork, and continuous improvement are valued.

This is a strong opportunity for a results-driven engineer who wants visibility, variety, and impact. The role reports to executive leadership and provides meaningful influence over yield improvement, manufacturing efficiency, documentation, validation, and process best practices. Candidates can expect a collaborative culture, supportive leadership, strong benefits, and the opportunity to contribute to specialized manufacturing work where precision, quality, and innovation matter.

Key Responsibilities

- Develop, implement, validate, and continuously improve manufacturing processes for precision optical components, coatings, assemblies, and related production operations.
- Analyze manufacturing data, process trends, quality metrics, and production performance to identify opportunities for yield improvement, cost reduction, and throughput enhancement.
- Investigate process deviations, nonconformances, and quality concerns using structured root cause analysis and corrective action methods.
- Support vacuum coating, electroforming, plating, machining, polishing, finishing, and related precision manufacturing processes through troubleshooting and optimization.
- Create and maintain process documentation, including SOPs, work instructions, process flow diagrams, control plans, manufacturing specifications, and technical reports.
- Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, production, engineering, suppliers, and customers to ensure product conformity, process consistency, and operational efficiency.

Compensation and Benefits

- Direct hire opportunity.
- Salary range: $110,000 to $130,000 per year.
- Location: Temecula, CA.
- Health benefits eligible first of the month after 30 days of employment.
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage available.
- HMO and PPO plans available through Kaiser and United Healthcare.
- Company covers a generous portion of employee and family premiums.
- Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account options.
- Voluntary life and AD&D insurance.
- Company-paid life and AD&D insurance.
- Company-paid long-term disability insurance.
- 401(k) retirement plan eligible first of the month after 3 months of employment.
- 100% company match on the first 3% contributed.
- 50% company match on the next 2% contributed.
- Up to a total 4% company contribution.
- Paid time off begins accruing on Day 1 and is available for use after 90 days.
- 0 to 5 years of service: 15 PTO days per year.
- 6 to 11 years of service: 20 PTO days per year.
- 12 or more years of service: 25 PTO days per year.
- Up to 10 paid holidays per year.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disabled / Protected Veterans

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For temporary assignments lasting 13 weeks or longer, AppleOne is pleased to offer major medical, dental, vision, 401k and any statutory sick pay where required.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact your staffing representative who will reach out to our HR team.

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We also consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements, including, if applicable, the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, including, if applicable, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Additional Skills

Required Qualifications and Skills

- Lead process development, validation, optimization, and troubleshooting for precision manufacturing operations.
- Drive yield improvement, process capability, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Develop and maintain engineering documentation, process specifications, work instructions, control plans, and technical reports.
- Support cross-functional manufacturing, quality, production, and engineering teams during process improvement and new product introduction activities.

- Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related engineering discipline required.
- 5 to 7 years of process engineering, manufacturing engineering, or related engineering experience in a precision manufacturing environment.
- Strong understanding of metallurgy, materials science, surface treatments, and interactions between materials and manufacturing processes.
- Experience with process development, process validation, yield improvement, manufacturing troubleshooting, and root cause analysis.
- Experience with Statistical Process Control, process capability analysis, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Ability to analyze manufacturing data and provide practical, data-driven process improvement recommendations.
- Working knowledge of engineering drawings, GD&T, manufacturing specifications, and technical documentation standards.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and CAD software such as SolidWorks or equivalent systems.
- Strong project management, organizational, analytical, problem-solving, and technical communication skills.
- Ability to work in manufacturing floor, laboratory, cleanroom, and office environments.
- Ability to wear required PPE, including safety glasses, gloves, cleanroom garments, and other protective equipment as required.
- Ability to sit, stand, and walk through manufacturing areas for extended periods, use computers and technical equipment, and occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.
- Must meet applicable ITAR requirements for access to U.S. export-controlled information.

Preferred Qualifications

- Degree in Metallurgical Engineering or Materials Engineering strongly preferred.
- Experience supporting optical manufacturing, aerospace, defense, vacuum coating, electroforming, plating, thin-film deposition, or related high-precision manufacturing processes.
- Advanced coursework or hands-on experience in vacuum coating, thin-film deposition, electroforming, plating technologies, materials characterization, or precision manufacturing.
- Knowledge of vacuum coating systems, thin-film technologies, electroforming, plating, machining, polishing, finishing, and related precision manufacturing processes.
- Experience participating in new product introduction activities to ensure designs are manufacturable, scalable, repeatable, and cost-effective.
- Experience supporting CAPA activities, customer requirements, supplier collaboration, and regulated or quality-driven manufacturing environments.