Senior Lead, DFA Engineer

Req ID: 140257
Region: Americas
Country: USA
State/Province: Texas
City: Richardson
Summary

At Celestica, we don't just manufacture high-complexity technology, we design, engineer, and optimize the hardware powering the future. As a global leader in design, engineering, and manufacturing services, our teams partner with world-changing brands across cloud infrastructure, aerospace, defense, healthtech, and advanced electronics. Located in Richardson, TX, our site offers a collaborative, fast-paced environment where your technical voice directly impacts the physical products shaping tomorrow's technology landscape.

The DFA and Mechanical Engineer runs the Design for Assembly (DFA) and serviceability screen inside the design phase. This role is responsible for modeling assembly sequences, checking physical access, tool clearances, handling, fastening, routing, and Field Replaceable Unit (FRU) service access before mechanical designs are committed. Operating at the intersection of Mechanical Design, Industrial Design, and Manufacturing Operations, this position acts as the crucial gatekeeper for assembly efficiency and serviceability, while directly supporting trial builds, rack integration, and site mechanical issue resolution.

Note: This position focuses strictly on DFA as a core design property and is not a Site Assembly Engineer or Tooling Designer role.

Detailed Description

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  Pre-DFA & Design Screening: Run pre-DFA screens on assigned platforms, model assembly sequences, and evaluate interference, fastening, cable routing, and service access before issuing formal reports prior to design release.
  
  
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  Sequence & Access Modeling: Model complex physical assembly flows to check access, tool clearance, and handling feasibility across components, sub-assemblies, and chassis.
  
  
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  Finding Disposition & Tracking: Log DFA findings with severity levels, route issues, and work cross-functionally to achieve disposition and closure alongside mechanical and industrial design teams.
  
  
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  Build & Site Support: Support trial builds at the assigned site, capturing assembly cycle times, evaluating operator-induced defect modes, and addressing rack integration, thermal, and cold-plate assembly challenges.
  
  
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  Continuous Improvement: Propose DFA rule changes and design guidelines derived from recurring build findings, fixture feedback, and field service telemetry data.
  
  
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  Ownership & Performance: Own key deliverables-including pre-DFA reports, assembly sequence models, DFA findings with disposition and closure, and trial build observation reports. Performance is measured on DFA finding closure prior to Design Verification Testing (DVT), actual assembly cycle times versus models, operator-induced defect rates, and FRU service time metrics.
  
  

Knowledge/Skills/Competencies

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  Strong technical expertise in Design for Assembly (DFA), Design for Manufacturing (DFM), and serviceability principles for complex electromechanical systems.
  
  
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  High CAD proficiency (e.g., Creo, SolidWorks) with deep experience modeling assembly sequences, dynamic interference, tool clearance, and physical tolerance stacks.
  
  
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  Technical familiarity with advanced mechanical packaging, rack integration, cable routing, thermal management, and cold-plate assembly.
  
  
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  Ability to analyze build metrics, identify operator-induced defect modes, and optimize Field Replaceable Unit (FRU) serviceability.
  
  
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  Strong cross-functional communication and collaborative problem-solving skills to disposition findings with mechanical engineers, industrial designers, Manufacturing Test Leads (MTLs), site tooling teams, and external suppliers.
  
  

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

• 4 to 8 years of experience in mechanical engineering, assembly engineering, or New Product Introduction (NPI) with system integration exposure in high-complexity electronics or hardware environments.

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical discipline.


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.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
Celestica's policy on equal employment opportunity prohibits discrimination based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran or disability status, or other characteristics protected by law.
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.

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.


This location is a US ITAR facility and these positions will involve the release of export controlled goods either directly to employees or through the employee's movement within the facility. As such, Celestica will require necessary information from all applicants upon an applicant's acceptance of employment to determine if any export control exemptions or licenses must be filed.