Manufacturing Engineering Tech (Assembly)

About Nikira Labs Nikira Labs is a leader in advanced optical-spectroscopy instrumentation, developing next-generation analyzers for trace gas detection. We deliver cutting-edge, cavity-enhanced and multi-pass-cell-based sensors for rapid detection of life-safety gases and toxic industrial chemicals in support of DoD missions. We combine deep expertise in physics, engineering, and data science to bring robust, field-ready technology from lab to deployment. Joining our team means working at the intersection of science, engineering, and national security---where your contributions directly impact real-world missions and help shape the future of advanced sensing technology.

Role Summary
Nikira Labs is looking for a Manufacturing Engineer to maintain the production engineering backbone of our gas analyzer product line. This is a hands-on role at the heart of how our instruments get built: you will be a steward of our product lifecycle management (PLM) system, driving engineering change orders from initiation to closure and keeping bills of materials, drawings, assemblies, work instructions, and travelers accurate, current, and actionable. You will also identify and implement process improvements that help a small, highly capable team build complex opto-mechanical instruments reliably and efficiently. The role reports to the Operations Manager and works closely with engineers, technicians, and supply chain.

Key Responsibilities
Engineering Change Management

• Author, implement, and close engineering change orders (ECOs) across the full product lifecycle — from initial redline to approved release — coordinating sign-offs across engineering, operations, and quality.
• Maintain PLM data integrity: bills of materials (BoMs), part numbers, drawings, assemblies work instructions, and production travelers.
• Ensure that design changes are translated promptly and accurately into production documentation, with no ambiguity between what engineering releases and what the build team executes.
• Coordinate with engineering on effectivity dates and inventory transitions so that parts and assemblies remain synchronized across design revisions.

Production Support & Process Engineering

• Develop and maintain clear, step-by-step work instructions and travelers for the assembly and test of precision opto-mechanical instruments.
• Identify manufacturing process bottlenecks and drive continuous improvement initiatives to increase throughput, reduce build time, and eliminate rework.
• Work with technicians on the production floor to understand assembly challenges and translate their feedback into documentation and design improvements.
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• Assist in tracking and analyzing production yield, defect data, and rework trends; identify root causes and implement corrective actions.

Supply Chain & Vendor Coordination

• Collaborate with procurement on component sourcing, providing technical input on approved vendor lists (AVLs), alternate parts, and supplier qualification.
• Conduct or support first article inspections (FAIs) for critical components and sub-assemblies from new or alternate suppliers.
• Generate manufacturing-related data packages (drawings, specifications, acceptance criteria) for contract manufacturers and specialty vendors.

Compliance & Configuration Control

• Ensure PLM records and production documentation comply with configuration management requirements under applicable DoD contract vehicles.
• Support ITAR and EAR compliance as it applies to manufacturing documentation and controlled hardware; ensure build records and travelers provide sufficient traceability for government audits.

Required Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship required; ability to obtain a security clearance is a plus.
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechatronics, or a closely related field.
• 1–3 years of hands-on manufacturing or production engineering experience, ideally in a low-volume, high-complexity hardware environment (scientific instruments, defense electronics, medical devices, or similar).
• Proficiency with PTC Creo (our CAD platform), interpreting and modifying drawings, understanding model-based definition, and working within a structured release workflow.
• Direct experience with PLM or PDM systems: creating and releasing ECOs, managing BoM structures, and maintaining document control. Experience using Arena is a plus.
• Comfortable writing clear, unambiguous work instructions and assembly procedures for technically sophisticated hardware.
• Organized and detail-oriented — you notice when a revision letter is wrong, when a part number doesn't match, and when a traveler step is missing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with opto-mechanical assembly or precision instrument manufacturing — familiarity with optical component handling, alignment procedures, and contamination control.
• Background working on DoD programs or government contracts, with exposure to ITAR-controlled hardware, configuration management requirements, or DCAA audit environments.
• Familiarity with ERP systems and the interplay between PLM, purchasing, and inventory management.
• Exposure to lean manufacturing principles, 5S, or structured process improvement methodologies (Kaizen, Six Sigma, etc.).
• Knowledge of surface mount or through-hole PCB assembly processes; familiarity with IPC standards is a plus given the electro-optical nature of our instruments.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• Equity participation in a high-growth defense technology company.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits.
• 401(k) with company contribution.
• Flexible PTO and a collaborative, mission-driven team environment.
• Direct impact: at a company of our size, your work shapes how we build, and the instruments you help produce end up in the hands of people doing genuinely important work.