Process Engineer 2

Lockwood Industries, LLC dba Fralock•Milpitas, CA

4d•$127,800 - $147,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Process Engineer is responsible for developing, implementing, optimizing, and sustaining manufacturing processes used to produce printed circuit boards (PCBs). The role provides technical leadership for lithography operations in a multilayer rigid/flex PCB fabrication facility, including substrate preparation, photoresist coating and lamination, UV exposure and imaging, photoresist development, and photoresist removal. The engineer works with Manufacturing, Maintenance, Quality, and Product Engineering teams to improve yield, reliability, throughput, and cost while meeting safety, environmental, customer, and regulatory requirements. The position supports new product introduction and process development, continuous improvement, and sustaining production. It includes evaluating equipment and tooling, developing and qualifying processes, analyzing production performance and root causes, maintaining process documentation, and supporting internal, customer, and regulatory audits. The role is onsite in Milpitas, California, and may require travel up to 10%. Access to ITAR- or EAR-controlled information requires the successful candidate to qualify as a U.S. person under those regulations.

Requirements

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to understand and create documentation required for key responsibilities and communication of information.
Experience creating and presenting technical and project information to different audiences.
Experience reading and interpreting engineering drawings, specifications, and manufacturing documents.
Experience working in photolithography operations.
Experience working in wet-process manufacturing environments.
Experience with Design of Experiments (DOE) and process validation activities.
Experience with data analysis to identify and evaluate operational improvements, including tracking KPIs, process capability (CpK), and other performance metrics.
Experience using standardized troubleshooting and issue-tracking tools and methodologies such as 5-Whys, DACA, DMAIC, 8D, or Fishbone Diagrams.
Familiarity with relevant standards such as ISO 9000, ISO 13485, AS9100, IPC-6012, and IPC-A-600.
Familiarity with manufacturing and quality processes such as 6S, Lean, and Six Sigma.
Familiarity with common manufacturing software packages such as ERP systems, SPC systems, and Microsoft Office Suite.
Familiarity with process sequencing and individual operations in PCB fabrication, such as photolithography, metal plating and finishing, cleaning and etching, and inspection.
Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, or a related field and at least seven years of related experience; alternatively, a master’s degree and five years of related experience.
At least three years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
Must qualify as a U.S. person under ITAR and EAR requirements to access controlled information.

Nice To Haves

Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
Expertise working in photolithography operations.
Expertise in PCB fabrication process sequencing and operations, including photolithography, metal plating and finishing, cleaning and etching, and inspection.
Expertise in troubleshooting methodologies.
Experience using inspection systems or methodologies for testing and root cause analysis.
Experience implementing relevant standards such as ISO 9000, ISO 13485, AS9100, IPC-6012, and IPC-A-600.
Experience working with ERP systems such as Made-2-Manage.
Familiarity with basic project or program management principles.
Familiarity with aerospace, semiconductor, medical, and automotive industries.

Responsibilities

Serve as the technical subject matter expert for lithography operations in a multilayer rigid/flex PCB fabrication facility, including substrate preparation, photoresist coating and lamination, UV exposure and imaging, photoresist development, and photoresist removal.
Drive process development and new product introduction by researching and evaluating capital equipment, tooling, automation, and process improvements.
Evaluate proposed equipment and tooling for required and desired functionality, and identify suitable equipment, setup, tooling, and process sequences for new products.
Develop and communicate ROI analyses for proposed manufacturing methods, processes, or equipment.
Develop and qualify processes and equipment using methodologies such as Design of Experiments (DOE), process capability analyses, and Gage R&R.
Develop and revise process documentation and controls, including PFMEAs, KPIs, SPCs, SOPs, and work instructions.
Lead and support continuous improvement focused on safety, quality, efficiency, cycle time reduction, and cost savings.
Analyze engineering drawings, ERP data, and other information to assess time, cost, material, and labor estimates.
Evaluate risks and benefits of proposed process improvements, validate accepted changes, and revise related documentation as necessary.
Partner with Manufacturing, Maintenance, and Quality to analyze yield losses, nonconformances, and customer returns; identify root causes; and implement corrective and preventive actions.
Troubleshoot equipment issues and improve equipment reliability and uptime.
Promote best practices to support product quality, consistency, cycle time, and throughput.
Monitor chemical processes, bath chemistry, equipment performance, and environmental compliance requirements.
Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits as required.