Staff Engineer, Hardware Design

Celestica•San Jose, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Staff Engineer is the primary technical authority for the physical realization and mass production of high-complexity printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs). The role bridges customer design requirements and factory-floor execution, leading new product introduction (NPI) into high-volume manufacturing and ensuring assemblies meet reliability, yield, and quality standards for sectors including Aerospace, Defense, and AI Infrastructure. The position leads complex NPI deployments and site-wide production-line setup, providing technical ownership of manufacturing sequences and assembly flows. It guides process engineers and technicians and serves as the subject matter expert for surface-mount technology (SMT) and PCB fabrication challenges. The engineer develops and optimizes manufacturing processes, reviews customer specifications for design-for-manufacturing, assembly, and test considerations, and manages technical relationships with PCB fabricators. The role also leads root-cause investigations for production escapes and field failures. The position includes frequent production-floor presence to troubleshoot equipment and audit processes, alongside office-based work involving sustained visual concentration and repetitive computer tasks. Occasional travel may be required. The role is located at a US ITAR facility and may involve access to export-controlled goods; the company may need information from applicants to determine whether export-control exemptions or licenses are required.

Requirements

7 to 10+ years of related experience in an electronics manufacturing (EMS) environment or high-reliability hardware production such as Space or Defense.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, such as Manufacturing, Electrical, or Mechanical; educational requirements may vary by geography.
Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted.

Responsibilities

Lead deployment of strategic, complex New Product Introduction (NPI) programs.
Coordinate site-wide production-line setup, with technical ownership of manufacturing sequences and assembly flow.
Provide technical guidance to process engineers and technicians and serve as the subject matter expert for SMT and PCB fabrication challenges.
Develop and refine manufacturing processes, including stencil design, solder paste selection, reflow profiling, wave and selective soldering, and AOI/SPI parameters.
Review customer hardware specifications and provide DFM, DFA, and DFT feedback.
Own technical relationships with external PCB fabricators; approve multilayer stack-ups and resolve fabrication issues such as plating quality and material compatibility.
Lead 8D investigations and root-cause and corrective-action work for production escapes or field failures.
Use 3D X-ray and cross-sectioning to diagnose solder-joint and fabrication defects.
Research systems ideas and develop plans for systems.
Design, modify, and implement systems that meet customer and Celestica needs and comply with company procedures, regulations, and customer standards.
Keep current with relevant industry knowledge and regulations, solve complex problems, and recommend system modifications.
Liaise with suppliers, customers, contractors, and internal teams.
May manage relationships with key vendors and partners.
Troubleshoot equipment and audit processes on the production floor.
Occasionally handle hardware and perform microscopic inspection.