Manufacturing Process Engineer

Company: XLR8 EMS
Location: San Diego
Posted on: April 3, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description We are seeking a highly skilled Manufacture Process Engineer to lead and optimize manufacturing processes for Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBA). This role is critical in ensuring high-quality, reliable, and cost-effective production through expertise in stencil design, soldering processes, wave solder profiling, conformal coating, and secondary operations. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical knowledge, hands-on experience, and a continuous improvement mindset to advance our PCBA manufacturing capabilities. ?? Key Responsibilities - Process Development & Optimization - - Design, validate, and optimize stencil designs for solder paste application. - Develop and maintain reflow soldering profiles, including vapor phase reflow processes, to ensure robust solder joints and minimize defects. - Establish and refine wave soldering profiles for through-hole components. - Define and implement secondary operations including press-fit connector installation, heat sink attachment, and mechanical assembly steps. - Develop and oversee conformal coating processes to ensure environmental protection and product reliability. - Create and enforce rework standards for soldering, ensuring compliance with IPC and industry best practices. - Manufacturing Support - - Provide technical leadership to production teams in troubleshooting assembly issues. - Collaborate with design engineering to ensure manufacturability of PCB layouts and component selection. - Drive yield improvement initiatives and root cause analysis for process-related defects. - Lead Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) initiatives to eliminate recurring issues and strengthen process robustness. - Support new product introduction (NPI) by developing scalable and repeatable assembly processes. - Quality & Compliance - - Ensure adherence to IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, IPC-7711/7721, and other relevant industry standards. - Maintain documentation of process parameters, work instructions, and control plans. - Partner with quality engineering to implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA). - Continuous Improvement - - Lead projects focused on automation, efficiency, and cost reduction. - Evaluate and introduce new technologies, equipment, and materials to enhance PCBA processes. - Train and mentor junior engineers and technicians in advanced assembly techniques. Qualifications & Experience - Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field. Master’s preferred. - Experience: Minimum 7–10 years in PCBA manufacturing engineering, with proven expertise in: - - Stencil design and solder paste application. - Reflow soldering (including vapor phase reflow) and thermal profiling. - Wave soldering process development and optimization. - Conformal coating application and process control. - Secondary operations (press-fit connectors, heat sinks, mechanical assembly). - Rework and repair standards for solder joints. - Root cause analysis and CAPA methodologies for troubleshooting and issue resolution. - Strong knowledge of IPC standards (IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, IPC-7711/7721). - Hands-on experience with SMT equipment, AOI/X-ray inspection, and process monitoring tools. - Demonstrated success in NPI process development and scaling to volume production. - Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills. - Ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive process improvements in a fast-paced environment. Preferred Skills - Experience with Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Test (DFT) principles. - Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies. - Proficiency in CAD tools for stencil and fixture design. - Knowledge of advanced soldering techniques (selective soldering, laser soldering). - Strong project management and leadership capabilities.

Keywords: XLR8 EMS, San Diego , Manufacturing Process Engineer, Engineering , San Diego, California