Manufacturing NPI Engineer

XP Power•San Jose, CA

18h•Onsite

About The Position

The Manufacturing NPI Engineer is the manufacturing link between Engineering and Production for new AC-DC power supplies and DC-DC converters. The role owns manufacturing readiness from early design review through pilot builds and production release at the US factory, then leads transfer and handover to the Vietnam factory. The goal is to ensure products can be manufactured right the first time at target cost, yield, and quality while meeting applicable quality requirements. The engineer leads multiple concurrent NPI programs, represents manufacturing in design reviews, and helps develop the site's NPI process and DFM standards. This is a hands-on, on-site position involving regular time on the production floor and collaboration with Design Engineering, Test Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Production. The role also develops manufacturing processes and documentation, validates test and production processes, supports quality and regulatory compliance, and mentors and trains engineers, technicians, and production teams. Travel is 10–20%, primarily to the Vietnam factory for product transfers and training.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Manufacturing, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering, or equivalent hands-on experience with demonstrated engineering-level responsibility.
6–8 years of manufacturing, process, or NPI engineering experience in electronics manufacturing; power electronics experience is ideal.
Demonstrated success leading multiple NPI launches from design through volume production and managing several programs concurrently.
Experience transferring products between manufacturing sites, preferably to an overseas factory, including training receiving teams to production capability.
Strong hands-on experience with SMT and through-hole PCBA processes, final assembly, and functional test/burn-in.
Working knowledge of ISO 9001 and IPC-A-610; experience in ISO 13485 or another regulated medical environment.
Proficiency with ERP/MRP and PLM systems for BOMs, routings, and engineering change control.
Ability to read schematics, PCB layouts, Gerber data, and mechanical drawings, including GD&T.
Working experience with SolidWorks to review and modify 3D models, assemblies, and drawings, and to design assembly fixtures and jigs.
Experience leading PFMEAs, control plans, and work instructions; strong command of SPC and structured problem solving such as 8D and 5-Why.
Hands-on IQ/OQ/PQ process validation experience in a regulated medical environment.
Ability to work safely around high-voltage test equipment and on an active production floor.
Strong communication skills and ability to influence and coordinate cross-functional teams.
Able to stand and walk for extended periods and lift up to 25 lbs.
Valid passport or ability to obtain one.
Willingness to work on-site at the US manufacturing facility, with regular production-floor time, and travel 10–20% domestically and internationally.
Ability to work with electronic assembly equipment, solder and flux, and high-voltage test stations while following ESD and safety procedures.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with IEC 60601-1 production safety tests, including hipot, leakage current, and ground bond.
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher and proficiency with Minitab.
Experience with Altium Designer for schematic and PCB-layout reviews; familiarity with Valor or similar CAM tools for DFM analysis.
IPC-A-610 certification (CIS).
Experience working with manufacturing teams in Southeast Asia; Vietnamese language skills are a plus.
Project management training or certification, such as PMP, and experience managing capital equipment projects.
Practical understanding of power electronics, PCBA manufacturing, mechanical and final assembly, test strategy, regulated quality systems, and lean manufacturing.

Responsibilities

Act as manufacturing technical lead on cross-functional NPI teams, owning manufacturing schedules, risk registers, and cost, yield, and quality targets from concept through volume release.
Plan and execute EVT, DVT, and PVT builds across concurrent programs, coordinating materials, equipment, documentation, and resources.
Represent manufacturing in stage-gate and design reviews; perform DFM, DFA, and DFT reviews of PCB layouts, BOMs, Gerbers, assembly drawings, and mechanical designs, and drive manufacturability improvements.
Develop and own production process flows, routings, and work instructions for SMT, through-hole, final assembly, test, and burn-in.
Lead pilot-build reviews, document lessons learned, and drive corrective actions to closure before volume release.
Define production-readiness criteria and approve transfer to production, including yield, cycle time, and documentation completeness.
Develop and maintain site DFM/DFA guidelines and NPI checklists, and feed lessons learned back to design teams.
Work with contract manufacturers to validate manufacturing processes and quality requirements.
Own transfer of released products from the US site to the Vietnam factory, including the transfer plan, schedule, risk mitigation, and readiness milestones.
Prepare and hand over transfer packages including MBOMs, drawings, routings, work instructions, PFMEAs, control plans, test procedures and software, fixtures, and lessons learned.
Coordinate replication or shipment of tooling, fixtures, and test equipment, and verify equivalent setup and performance at the receiving site.
Train Vietnam engineering, test, quality, and production teams on products and processes, on-site and remotely; verify competency through training records and supervised builds.
Lead transfer qualification builds, including first article inspection, test-result correlation, and process validation; confirm the receiving site meets yield, quality, and cycle-time targets.
Formally hand over production ownership after capability is demonstrated and provide follow-up support for post-transfer issues.
Troubleshoot design-originated SMT and through-hole build issues and work with design engineers to document agreed changes through ECOs and update related product documentation.
Develop final-assembly methods, sequences, and fixtures for open-frame and enclosed units; drive mistake-proofing and line balance.
Partner with Test Engineering to specify and validate functional/ATE test, hipot, ground-bond, and burn-in processes; develop or modify fixtures and scripts as needed.
Specify, justify, procure, and qualify tooling, fixtures, and capital equipment; lead IQ/OQ/PQ validation where required.
Identify and drive product and process cost reductions to meet new-product cost targets.
Create and maintain PFMEAs, control plans, and process validation documentation in line with ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 requirements.
Apply IPC-A-610 workmanship standards and support production of medical power supplies certified to IEC 60601-1.
Lead root-cause analysis for NPI build issues, early-life failures, and customer returns, and implement and verify corrective actions.
Represent manufacturing engineering in internal, customer, and notified-body or regulatory audits.
Build and validate manufacturing BOMs, routings, and item setups in ERP/MRP; process ECOs/ECNs through PLM and manage product revision cut-ins.
Monitor first-pass yield, scrap, and cycle time with SPC and drive continuous improvement using Lean and Six Sigma methods.
Mentor junior engineers and technicians, serve as a technical resource, and train production operators and leads on new products and processes.
Communicate NPI status, risks, and mitigation plans to cross-functional teams, management, and customers when required.

Benefits

100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for full-time employee-only coverage; employees share dependent coverage costs.
Company-paid bonus, with percentage dependent on company profitability.
Company 401(k) match up to 6%.
Mental health benefits.
Paid time off accrued per pay period, starting at three weeks per year.
13 company-paid holidays.
Paid time off for volunteer work, up to 8 hours per year.
Employer-paid supplemental short-term and long-term disability insurance.
Veterinary pet insurance.
Company social events throughout the year.
Safe, healthy, stimulating, and collaborative working environment.