Staff Engineer, Hardware Design

Celestica International LP•San Jose, CA

2d•$150,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Staff Engineer, PCB Manufacturing (Production) is the primary technical authority for the physical realization and mass production of high-complexity PCBA systems. The role bridges customer design requirements and factory-floor execution, leading new product introduction (NPI) into high-volume manufacturing while ensuring assemblies meet reliability, yield, and quality standards for industries including Aerospace, Defense, and AI Infrastructure. The position leads complex NPI programs and site-wide production-line setup, provides technical guidance to process engineers and technicians, and serves as a subject matter expert on SMT and PCB fabrication. It develops and optimizes manufacturing processes; reviews customer hardware specifications and provides DFM, DFA, and DFT feedback; manages technical relationships with PCB fabricators; and leads investigations into production escapes and field failures. The role may also manage vendor and partner relationships, research and design systems, implement designs that meet customer and company needs, maintain awareness of industry knowledge and regulations, solve complex problems, liaise with suppliers, customers, contractors, and internal teams, and recommend system modifications. The position involves frequent production-floor presence, occasional handling and microscopic inspection of hardware, and occasional travel. Duties are also performed in a normal office environment and may involve extended sitting, sustained visual concentration, and frequent repetitive manual movements.

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 (Manufacturing, Electrical, or Mechanical); educational requirements may vary by geography.
Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted.

Responsibilities

Lead deployment of strategic, complex New Product Introduction (NPI) programs.
Coordinate site-wide production-line setup, including technical ownership of manufacturing sequence 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 and interpret customer hardware specifications and provide DFM, DFA, and DFT feedback.
Manage 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 activities for production escapes or field failures.
Use 3D X-ray and cross-sectioning to diagnose solder-joint and fabrication defects.
May manage relationships with key vendors and partners.
Research systems ideas and draw up plans for systems.
Design, modify, and implement systems that meet customer and Celestica needs.
Create designs in accordance with Celestica procedures, regulations, and customer standards.
Keep up to date with relevant industry knowledge and regulations.
Solve complex problems.
Liaise with suppliers, customers, contractors, and internal teams.
Recommend system modifications.
Maintain frequent presence on the production floor to troubleshoot equipment and audit processes.