Principal Process Engineer

Position Summary
The Principal Process Engineer serves as the highest technical authority for Circuit Card Assembly (CCA) manufacturing within the Center of Excellence. This role provides expert-level leadership in advanced process development, cross-functional project execution, and technology advancement for high-reliability defense and aerospace electronics. The Principal Engineer drives major initiatives that improve quality, yield, reliability, and cost performance, while ensuring strict compliance with IPC, J-STD, and MIL standards. The ideal candidate possesses deep subject-matter expertise, a strong record of leading complex technical projects, and the ability to influence engineering direction across the facility.
Key Responsibilities

Lead development, implementation, and optimization of advanced CCA manufacturing processes including SMT, wave/selective soldering, bonding/staking, conformal coating, and ruggedization.
Establish long-range process capability goals and define technical strategies to enhance manufacturing robustness, automation, and efficiency.
Serve as the technical authority for processing documentation, work instructions, and standards for all CCA processes at the Center of Excellence.
Maintain expert-level knowledge of IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, and MIL requirements and ensure all CCA processes meet these specifications.
Lead major root cause investigations for complex or high-impact quality challenges and coordinate cross-functional corrective actions.
Oversee advanced SPC, data analytics, and process monitoring for critical manufacturing steps.
Lead multidisciplinary technical projects aimed at improving yield, manufacturability, cost, automation, and defect reduction.
Partner closely with Design Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Program Management to resolve complex manufacturing challenges and support New Product Introduction (NPI).
Act as the primary technical lead for implementation of new equipment, inspection systems, and automation technologies.
Evaluate and integrate emerging manufacturing technologies such as SMT platforms, AOI/SPI systems, and automation solutions.
Drive digital manufacturing enhancements, process modeling, and capability studies.
Provide technical mentorship to Senior, Mid-level, and Junior Process Engineers.
Review and approve major process changes, validation plans, and engineering documentation.
Deliver training on advanced electronics manufacturing processes, inspection methods, soldering best practices, and thermal profiling.
Develop and maintain advanced process metrics using data-driven approaches.
Partner with Operations and Manufacturing Engineering to enhance MES/ERP capabilities supporting process control and traceability.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field; Master's degree preferred.
10+ years of experience in electronics manufacturing and CCA process engineering.
Deep expertise in SMT, soldering, inspection technologies, and high-reliability electronics manufacturing.
Strong knowledge of IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, and aerospace/defense manufacturing requirements.
Proven experience leading multidisciplinary engineering projects and driving high-impact technical initiatives.
Hands-on experience with SMT platforms (e.g., FUJI), AOI/SPI systems (e.g., Koh Young), wash processes, conformal coating, and ruggedization.
Advanced capability in SPC, data analysis, Six Sigma methodologies, and process validation.
Strong collaboration skills with ability to influence engineering and manufacturing decisions across teams.

Preferred Skills

Experience supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) and establishing new manufacturing capabilities.
Expertise with CAD tools for process/fixture design and manufacturing simulation.
Demonstrated success implementing advanced automation and digital manufacturing solutions.
Ability to lead multiple technical projects simultaneously with minimal supervision.
Strong communication skills for guiding teams and presenting complex technical information.
Basic understanding of APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning) principles.
Working knowledge of DMAIC methodology (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control).
Familiarity with PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) continuous improvement cycle.

Security Clearance

Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.