Engineering Technician - MMIC

Mini-Circuits•Carlsbad, CA

1d•$85,000 - $105,000

About The Position

The Engineering Technician works with MMIC design, program management, quality, mechanical design, and RF test teams to transition products from development to production. The role builds, repairs, and tests boards containing small, fragile bare-die and SMT components, requiring careful manual assembly, inspection, and testing according to documented work instructions. The technician sets up, operates, calibrates, maintains, troubleshoots, and repairs assembly equipment and tooling. This includes manual and automatic epoxy dispensing systems, wire bonders, reflow ovens, soldering and rework stations, wire-pull and die-shear equipment, measuring and inspection microscopes, and laser-marking and laser-trimming equipment. The technician also operates RF and DC test equipment as needed. The work spans wire-bonding and die-attach process development and production, epoxy dispensing, package molding, failure analysis, and PCB/component-level assembly, troubleshooting, and rework. The role includes manual die attach, wire bonding, equipment setup and maintenance, electrical testing, inspection, and contributing improvements to assembly drawings and processes. The listed duties are not exhaustive, and additional tasks within the scope of the position may be assigned.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED, or international equivalent.
Technician certification and 5 years of experience in RF Product Test or a related field.
At least 5 years of experience in RF Product Test or a related field.
Understanding of quality certification systems such as ISO 9001 or related systems.
Understanding of IPC-A-610J inspection acceptability standards or related standards.
Familiarity with debugging RF test equipment.
Experience or knowledge of wire bonding, die attach, epoxy dispensing, and failure analysis.
Strong verbal and written communication skills for working in a cross-functional team environment.
Self-motivated, with a strong sense of ownership and ability to drive high-level tasks to completion.
Steady hands and ability to work with components visible only under a microscope.
Ability to set up, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair assembly equipment and tooling.
Ability to set up and operate DC and RF test equipment.
Ability to read, write, and communicate orally in English.
Ability to read and interpret assembly drawings and use electronic work instructions.
Ability to sit at a bench for extended periods and work under a microscope.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Knowledge of electrostatic discharge (ESD) and prevention procedures.
Ability to talk and hear; frequently stand, walk, sit, and use hands to operate a computer keyboard; occasionally reach with hands and arms and lift or move up to 10 pounds.
Close vision and ability to adjust focus; extremely good vision and steady hand coordination for manually handling small dies and microelectronic components with tweezers and a semiautomatic wire bonder.
Ability to spend a significant amount of time working under a microscope.

Responsibilities

Develop and support wire-bonding processes and production.
Develop and support die-attach processes and production.
Dispense epoxies and perform package molding.
Conduct failure analysis using tools such as die-shear and bond-pull equipment and Keyence systems.
Assemble, troubleshoot, and rework PCBs and components.
Select components for high-frequency and high-power devices.
Set up assembly equipment and tooling, including epoxy dispensers, wire bonders, and oven profiles; kit bills of materials according to assembly diagrams and instructions.
Manually attach bare-die MMICs, chip capacitors, and other microelectronic components using electrically conductive epoxies, dispensing epoxy manually and with a benchtop system.
Perform wire bonding with a variety of wire and ribbon sizes using ball- and wedge-based techniques.
Thread 1 mil diameter wire on ball and wedge bonders.
Define and carry out basic DOEs to adjust wire-bond parameters and achieve good wire bonding.
Read assembly drawings and provide markups for improvements or design changes when needed.
Inspect components and assembled parts at specified intervals and report deviations from standards.
Set up, calibrate, and perform preventative maintenance on equipment.
Keep the work area and equipment clean and orderly, follow safety procedures, and assist other staff with maintaining a clean lab.
Set up and operate equipment for electrical testing of RF components.
Comply with corporate safety initiatives and the Company's Code of Conduct.