Lead Production Engineer

Senra Systems•Cypress, CA

24d•$115,000 - $155,000•Onsite

About The Position

Senra Systems is transforming electrical wire harness manufacturing through software configuration, enabling customers to design and receive harness builds at record-breaking speed. The company is building a Production Engineering function from the ground up and is seeking a leader to define its operations, hire and develop a team, and bridge the gap between Production and Manufacturing Engineering. This is a player-coach role where the individual will manage their own technical workload while mentoring a team. The Production Engineering team is responsible for the execution on the production floor, including troubleshooting, dispositioning NCRs, supporting first articles, and ensuring kit accuracy. The role reports to the Manufacturing Engineering Manager and collaborates with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Production teams.

Requirements

5+ years in wire harness or cable assembly manufacturing, with at least 2 years in a senior, lead, or manager-level role.
Deep knowledge of wire harness assembly processes: wire prep, crimping, soldering, backshell assembly, harness routing, and electrical testing.
Strong working knowledge of IPC/WHMA-A-620 workmanship standards.
Experience managing or mentoring engineers or technicians with measurable results.
Ability to read and interpret complex wiring diagrams, schematics, assembly drawings, and specifications.
Strong verbal communication skills, comfortable working with technicians, supervisors, and cross-functional engineers.
Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident).

Nice To Haves

CIS or CIT certification.
Experience in an aerospace or defense contract manufacturing environment.
Familiarity with NASA 8739.4 and IPC/WHMA-A-620 space addendum workmanship requirements.
Experience with MIL-spec connectors and contacts across multiple connector families.
Experience supporting a facility scale-up, production line bring-up, or new product introduction in a high-mix environment.
Familiarity with ERP or MES systems in a manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

Hire, onboard, and develop a team of Production Engineers, setting clear performance expectations and fostering a high-accountability team culture.
Conduct regular 1:1s with team members, understanding their development goals and creating growth opportunities.
Define clear escalation paths for production issues.
Serve as the senior technical escalation point for complex production issues, NCR dispositions, and first article reviews.
Maintain a hands-on presence on the production floor.
Own first article sign-off for the PE team, reviewing and approving dispositions.
Own the working relationship between Production Engineering and the ME organization, representing production needs in planning.
Ensure documentation issues (redlines, work instruction gaps, formboard errors) are tracked, communicated, and resolved with the ME team within defined SLAs.
Provide structured feedback to ME leads on documentation or DFM issues.
Own PE team NCR disposition SLA performance, tracking aging and reporting weekly.
Drive root cause and corrective action on repeat non-conformances, closing the loop with production and quality.
Partner with Quality on workmanship trends, inspection holds, and systemic issues.
Oversee kit verification processes and ensure the PE team catches discrepancies before they reach the floor.
Identify systemic kitting gaps and escalate to ME and supply chain with data-backed recommendations.
Track and report PE team performance weekly (NCR disposition SLA, first article cycle time, open issue aging).
Provide commentary on trends, risks, and improvement actions in reporting.
Define and document Production Engineering standard workflows, escalation paths, and handoff protocols with ME, especially for Factory Two scale-up.
Identify and lead process improvement initiatives to reduce rework, floor disruptions, or NCR volume.