Process Engineering Technician

Adtran•Huntsville, AL

About The Position

We are seeking an entry‑level Process Engineering Technician to support daily operations on our SMT production line(s). You will be the first line of defense during product start‑ups, ensuring equipment readiness, validating process parameters, troubleshooting issues at the line, and driving stable throughput with high first‑pass yield. The ideal candidate brings 2–5 years of experience in one or more of the following process areas: Wave Solder, Selective Solder, Press‑Fit, AOI, Screen Printing, Oven Profiling, and/or SMT Programming.

Requirements

2–5 years hands‑on experience in electronics manufacturing (SMT/PCBA) in at least one of these areas (more is a plus) Complete training will be given for all areas: Wave Solder Process Selective Solder Process Press‑Fit Process AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) Screen Printer (DEK/MPM or similar) Oven Profiling (KIC/ECD or similar) SMT Programming (Panasonic/Fuji/ASM/Juki/Yamaha, etc.)
Familiarity with ESD controls, MSD handling, line changeover, and first‑article verification.
Ability to read schematics, assembly drawings, and BOMs; comfort with basic metrology tools and microscopes.
Competent with common shop floor systems (MES, SPC dashboards) and basic Excel/Word for logs and reports.
Strong troubleshooting mindset; calm under pressure during startups and line down events.
High school diploma or GED required; technical certificate or associate degree in Electronics/Manufacturing Technology (or equivalent experience) preferred.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to SPI systems and AOI program optimization.
Knowledge of IPC‑A‑610, J‑STD‑001, and IPC‑7711/7721 standards.
Basic soldering/rework skills (through‑hole, SMD) for evaluation and containment.
Experience with DOE, SPC, or Lean/6σ tools (Pareto, control charts, 5S, SMED).
Understanding of RoHS/REACH, flux chemistries, solder pastes, and stencil design basics (aperture, area ratio).

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary on‑the‑floor technical resource during NPI and product changeovers/start‑ups (verify tooling, programs, profiles, and first‑article validation).
Execute “first‑board‑in” checks, address quality issues, and drive to go/no‑go decisions quickly and safely.
Set up and verify screen printer parameters (squeegee pressure/speed, snap‑off, alignment), manage stencil care, and confirm paste handling and environmental controls.
Build/validate reflow oven profiles (e.g., ramp‑soak‑spike, TAL, peak) using profiling tools; document and maintain golden profiles.
Support wave solder and selective solder recipe setup (preheat, conveyor speed, pump/settings, dwell, flux and nitrogen control) and ensure solderability and hole‑fill targets.
Support press‑fit operations (tooling setup, insertion force windows, planarity checks) and verify compliance to drawings/specs.
Perform and interpret AOI results; tune programs with engineering guidance to reduce false calls/escapes.
Assist in creating/editing SMT pick-and-place programs (e.g., Panasonic, Fuji, ASM, Juki, Yamaha) and feeders/vision libraries; verify packages, rotations, and fiducials.
Rapidly diagnose and contain issues related to print/placement/reflow, solder bridges, insufficient solder, tombstoning, skew, wetting, voiding, delamination, etc.
Use structured problem solving (5‑Why, Fishbone) to drive root cause and implement corrective/preventive actions (CAPA).
Partner with Quality/ME to reduce DPMO, improve FPY, and increase OEE on assigned lines.
Maintain process documentation, work instructions, and setup sheets, record parameter changes and deviations.
Adhere to ESD, MSD (J‑STD‑033) handling, and safety requirements, support audits and operator training.