Senior Manufacturing Engineer

The Senior Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for supporting, improving, and sustaining manufacturing processes for Class 3 printed circuit board assembly production in a high-mix, low-to-medium volume environment. This role serves as a technical leader across SMT, through-hole, mechanical assembly, test, rework, conformal coating, and final inspection operations.

The Senior Manufacturing Engineer will work closely with Production, Quality, Test Engineering, Program Management, Supply Chain, and customers to ensure products are built efficiently, repeatably, and in compliance with customer requirements, IPC standards, and aerospace/defense-level workmanship expectations. This position is hands-on and requires strong problem-solving skills, manufacturing floor presence, and the ability to drive process improvements from concept through implementation.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Process Support

Support day-to-day manufacturing operations for Class 3 PCBA assembly, rework, test, coating, and final inspection processes.

Provide technical guidance to production teams to resolve manufacturing issues, bottlenecks, yield concerns, and process interruptions.

Review customer documentation, assembly drawings, BOMs, specifications, and work instructions to ensure manufacturability and process readiness.

Develop, maintain, and improve manufacturing processes for SMT, selective solder, hand solder, mechanical assembly, conformal coating, and related production areas.

Support new product introduction builds, first article builds, prototype production, and production ramp activities.

Assist with process validation, equipment setup, tooling requirements, fixture needs, and production readiness reviews.

Continuous Improvement & Yield Improvement

Identify and lead continuous improvement projects focused on quality, throughput, labor efficiency, first-pass yield, and defect reduction.

Analyze production data, defect trends, rework data, test failures, and process performance to identify root causes and corrective actions.

Drive improvements in cycle time, line balance, material flow, changeover efficiency, and operator work instructions.

Support Lean manufacturing initiatives, 5S, standard work, waste reduction, and process control improvements.

Partner with Quality and Production teams to reduce recurring defects and improve overall manufacturing reliability.

Technical Leadership & Problem Solving

Serve as a senior technical resource for manufacturing operators, technicians, supervisors, and engineers.

Lead root cause investigations for complex manufacturing defects, assembly issues, test failures, and process escapes.

Support corrective and preventive action activities, including containment, root cause analysis, corrective action implementation, and effectiveness checks.

Provide hands‑on troubleshooting support for production equipment, fixtures, tooling, and process‑related issues.

Mentor junior manufacturing engineers, process engineers, technicians, and production personnel.

Documentation & Process Control

Create, review, and maintain manufacturing work instructions, process procedures, visual aids, routings, and production documentation.

Ensure manufacturing documentation is clear, accurate, controlled, and aligned with customer and quality requirements.

Support ECO implementation, process changes, customer‑driven changes, and internal documentation updates.

Ensure manufacturing processes comply with IPC‑A‑610, J‑STD‑001, customer specifications, and internal quality system requirements.

Participate in process audits, customer audits, and internal quality system activities as needed.

Cross‑Functional Support

Work closely with Program Management and Customer Engineering teams to resolve manufacturing concerns and communicate technical risks.

Partner with Test Engineering on test process improvements, failure analysis, fixture readiness, and test yield improvement.

Support Supply Chain and Materials teams with component substitution reviews, material issues, and manufacturability concerns.

Collaborate with Quality Engineering on defect reduction, inspection criteria, process controls, and customer quality requirements.

Support Production leadership with capacity planning, labor standards, process constraints, and operational improvement opportunities.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field; equivalent hands‑on manufacturing experience may be considered.

7+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in electronics manufacturing, PCBA assembly, aerospace, defense, medical device, or another high‑reliability manufacturing environment.

Strong working knowledge of PCBA manufacturing processes, including SMT, through‑hole, soldering, rework, inspection, cleaning, coating, and test support.

Experience supporting Class 3 or high‑reliability electronic assemblies.

Strong understanding of IPC‑A‑610 and J‑STD‑001 requirements.

Demonstrated experience with root cause analysis, corrective actions, process improvement, and production support.

Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, schematics, BOMs, assembly instructions, specifications, and customer documentation.

Strong problem‑solving skills with the ability to analyze data, identify trends, and implement sustainable corrective actions.

Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and standard manufacturing documentation tools.

Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with production operators, engineers, quality personnel, customers, and leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

IPC‑A‑610 and/or J‑STD‑001 certification or trainer‑level certification.

Experience in aerospace, defense, satellite, medical, or other regulated electronics manufacturing environments.

Experience with MES/ERP systems, electronic travelers, production routing, and manufacturing data analysis.

Experience with SMT line processes, AOI, SPI, AXI, ICT, FCT, conformal coating, and rework operations.

Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, PFMEA, control plans, and structured problem‑solving methods.

Experience supporting customer audits, internal audits, and quality system compliance.

Experience with fixture design, tooling improvements, process validation, and equipment qualification.

Experience leading cross‑functional projects and mentoring junior technical staff.

Strong manufacturing floor presence and hands‑on technical approach.

Ability to prioritize multiple production issues in a fast‑paced environment.

Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.

Practical understanding of how engineering decisions impact production efficiency, yield, and customer delivery.

Ability to communicate technical information clearly to both technical and non‑technical audiences.

Strong ownership mindset with the ability to drive issues to closure.

Comfortable working in a high‑mix environment with changing priorities and customer requirements.

Ability to balance quality, schedule, cost, and manufacturability.

This position is based in a PCBA manufacturing facility and requires regular time on the production floor. The role may involve standing, walking, reviewing assemblies, working around production equipment, and collaborating directly with operators, technicians, engineers, and supervisors.

Physical Requirements

Ability to sit, stand, and walk throughout the workday.

Ability to work on or around manufacturing equipment and production lines.

Ability to review small electronic components, assemblies, and workmanship details.

Ability to occasionally lift materials, tooling, or equipment up to 25 pounds.

Ability to use standard office equipment and manufacturing documentation systems.

Employment Type

Full‑time, onsite.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Rocket EMS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status under applicable law.

Pay Range

$80,000 - $120,000 USD

ITAR/EAR Compliance: Due to the nature of the work performed at Rocket EMS, this position may require access to export‑controlled technical data or technology. The successful candidate must be eligible to access such information under applicable U.S. export‑control laws or be eligible for any required government authorization.

Rocket EMS will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the California Fair Chance Act. Candidates are not required to disclose criminal history or participate in a background check unless and until a conditional offer of employment has been made. Any final offer of employment may be conditioned on completion of a background check, consistent with applicable law.
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