Process Engineer

A1J Technologies LLC•San Jose, CA

About The Position

The Process Engineer develops, implements, and continuously improves manufacturing processes for complex, close-tolerance components from contract review through first article and production. The role supports controlled production readiness, risk-based process planning, and sustainable process ownership as A1J expands its commercial aerospace and defense manufacturing capabilities. The position develops complete manufacturing routings covering operation sequences, work centers, tooling, fixturing, materials, setup and run standards, inspection considerations, outside processing, and traceability. Working across CNC Programming, Production, Quality, Supply Chain, and Estimating, the Process Engineer helps ensure processes are safe, capable, repeatable, cost-effective, and documented. The environment is high-mix precision manufacturing, including CNC turning and milling, grinding, lapping, welding, cleaning, and outside special processes. The role also supports first-article and prove-out activities, production troubleshooting, process-risk assessment, quality and corrective-action work, cost and throughput improvements, manufacturing readiness reviews, and the accuracy and control of ERP routings and process documentation.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline; equivalent hands-on manufacturing experience may be considered.
At least 5 years of manufacturing/process engineering experience in precision machining or a comparable high-mix manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated experience developing manufacturing routings, process plans, and controlled manufacturing documentation.
Strong understanding of CNC machining, tooling, fixturing, setup practices, and manufacturing process development.
Ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, CAD models, and technical specifications.
Working knowledge of CAM software and CNC manufacturing methods.
Experience supporting first article, inspection planning, root-cause analysis, and corrective action.
Strong problem-solving, technical communication, and cross-functional leadership skills.
Ability to spend significant time on the manufacturing floor supporting process development and production.
Ability to stand and walk throughout CNC and production areas for extended periods and lift tools, fixtures, parts, and materials weighing up to 40 pounds.
Manual dexterity and visual acuity sufficient to operate equipment, use measuring instruments, read prints, inspect parts, and identify tool wear or process defects.
Use appropriate PPE and comply with site safety requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience in AS9100/ISO 9001 aerospace, defense, semiconductor, medical, or other regulated precision-manufacturing environments.
Experience with multi-axis turning and 3-, 4-, and 5-axis milling.
Experience with grinding, lapping, welding, cleaning, heat treatment, plating/coating, or other special processes.
Familiarity with AS9102 First Article Inspection.
Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, DOE, 8D, A3, or structured problem-solving methods.
Fixture and tooling design experience using 3D CAD.
Familiarity with CMM/metrology and process capability analysis.
Experience supporting customer, regulatory, or third-party audits.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain manufacturing routings for new and existing products, specifying operation sequence, work centers, setup/run standards, tooling, fixturing, materials, and outside processing.
Determine manufacturing sequences for close-tolerance features while considering datum integrity, distortion, material condition, accessibility, and downstream operations.
Establish material requirements, blank sizes, material yield, traceability controls, handling, identification, protection, and material-flow requirements.
Maintain accurate ERP routing information for scheduling, capacity planning, costing, and actual-versus-standard performance analysis.
Maintain process documentation and revision control in alignment with drawing revisions, engineering changes, and approved improvements.
Partner with CNC Programming to translate process requirements into executable machining strategies.
Support tooling, fixture, workholding, probing, and setup-method development.
Participate in process kickoff reviews and first-article/prove-out activities for new or high-risk jobs; capture actual setup and cycle times and update standards as appropriate.
Standardize tooling, setup practices, work instructions, and manufacturing methods across similar part families.
Provide technical support to Production to resolve machining and process-related issues.
Partner with Quality to align inspection planning with the manufacturing sequence and identify critical inspection points, irreversible operations, inaccessible features, and high-risk characteristics requiring in-process verification.
Support interpretation of drawings, specifications, GD&T, tolerance stacks, and key or critical characteristics from a manufacturing perspective.
Provide manufacturing-process information for First Article Inspection and AS9102 documentation; support process-capability development and analysis for critical characteristics.
Provide process expertise during nonconformance investigations, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions; communicate approved process changes to Quality for inspection-plan evaluation.
Analyze actual versus standard setup/run hours, scrap, rework, yield, and process performance.
Lead projects to reduce setup time, cycle time, scrap, rework, and manufacturing cost; implement improvements that increase throughput, capability, and repeatability.
Support make-versus-buy decisions based on capability, capacity, cost, and risk.
Provide manufacturing input to quoting and contract review, including feasibility, estimated hours, tooling/fixture requirements, NRE, capacity, and technical risk.
Support capital-equipment justification through capacity analysis, manufacturing requirements, and return-on-investment evaluation.
Capture lessons learned and incorporate improvements into standardized manufacturing processes.
Coordinate cross-functional manufacturing-readiness reviews before release, verifying routing completeness, material, tooling, fixtures, programming, inspection requirements, outside processing, and applicable customer specifications; obtain required functional approvals.
Perform and document proportionate process-risk assessments for new, changed, and high-risk jobs, including critical features, irreversible operations, datum strategy, distortion, and potential failure modes.
Evaluate and document proposed changes to routing sequences, work centers, tooling, fixtures, setup methods, and processes; coordinate Quality review, FAI impact assessment, and customer approvals where required before implementation.
Validate and maintain the technical accuracy of assigned JobBoss/ERP routings, operation descriptions, work centers, setup/run standards, and revision data; coordinate scheduling impacts with Planning and transaction accuracy with Production.
Participate in selected first-piece and prove-out activities, document findings, validate setup/cycle assumptions, and close process-related issues before routine or repeat production.
Develop reusable routing templates, standardized manufacturing methods, setup documentation, and lessons-learned records; monitor released processes and update controlled documentation following approved improvements.