Electronics Manufacturing/Process Engineer (SMT/PCBA)

Design West Technologies Inc. (DWT) is a leading provider of cutting-edge aerospace and military technologies. With a commitment to excellence and innovation, we specialize in designing, manufacturing, and delivering high-performance solutions for our clients worldwide. Our team comprises passionate professionals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in aerospace and defense.

We are seeking a dynamic Electronics Manufacturing / Process Engineer to drive operational excellence in PCB assembly and electronics production. 

Position Overview:

The Electronics Manufacturing / Process Engineer is responsible for developing, improving, and sustaining SMT, through-hole, box build, and electronic assembly processes. This role focuses heavily on SMT/PCBA process engineering, line optimization, yield improvement, defect reduction, and new product introduction (NPI) support. The ideal candidate is a hands-on problem solver with strong engineering discipline who thrives in a fast-paced, high-mix, low-to-medium volume manufacturing environment

Job Duties:

SMT / PCBA Process Engineering

• Optimize SMT production processes including solder paste printing, stencil setup, pick-and-place programming, reflow profiling, selective soldering, and hand assembly, while developing, validating, and maintaining programs for printers, SPI, AOI, and pick-and-place equipment.
• Improve manufacturing performance by driving higher first-pass yield, reducing defects, and increasing throughput across electronic assembly lines.
• Troubleshoot SMT process and assembly defects such as insufficient solder, bridging, tombstoning, skew, opens, and placement issues to ensure consistent product quality and process stability.

Manufacturing Engineering

• Create and maintain manufacturing documentation including work instructions, process flows, setup sheets, tooling documentation, and routers.
• Design and improve fixtures, tooling, and workstation layouts while analyzing line balance, labor efficiency, bottlenecks, and capacity.
• Support preventive maintenance and equipment uptime initiatives to improve reliability and reduce downtime.

New Product Introduction (NPI)

• Lead manufacturing readiness from prototype to production, including pilot builds, tooling, stencil design, and feeder setup.
• Review Gerbers, BOMs, AVL, and assembly packages, and provide DFM/DFA feedback to ensure producibility and efficient assembly.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Drive root cause corrective actions using tools such as 8D, 5 Why, Fishbone, Pareto, SPC, and Lean methodologies to resolve manufacturing issues and reduce defects, rework, scrap, and process variation in partnership with Quality.
• Support internal audits and compliance with IPC, ISO 9001, AS9100, and customer requirements while using data analysis to identify process improvements and recommend capital equipment upgrades.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial).
• 5+ years of experience in electronics manufacturing/EMS or PCB assembly with strong knowledge of SMT processes, equipment (pick-and-place, AOI, SPI, reflow, stencil printing), and test processes.
• Ability to read and interpret schematics, Gerbers, BOMs, assembly drawings, and ECOs, with hands-on troubleshooting and strong cross-functional communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• IPC certifications (IPC-A-610, IPC J-STD-001 or related) preferred.
• Experience in defense, aerospace, or other highly regulated electronics manufacturing environments, including mixed-technology assemblies.
• Familiarity with ERP/MES systems, Juki SMT/AOI equipment, Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma methodologies.

Why Join Design West Technologies

Join a growing U.S. manufacturer supporting national security missions with products that matter. You will have the opportunity to directly impact factory performance, manufacturing capability, and the delivery of mission-critical systems to customers who depend on them.