Engineering Manager
Rocket EMS
About the Role
The Engineering Manager is responsible for leading the Process Engineering function in support of Class 3, high-reliability aerospace and mission-critical PCBA manufacturing across all Rocket EMS facilities. This role ensures that manufacturing processes meet the most stringent industry requirements for quality, repeatability, traceability, and regulatory compliance.
The Engineering Manager owns process integrity from NPI through sustained production, overseeing documentation, validation, certification, capacity planning, and continuous improvement. Working closely with Production, Quality, Supply Chain, and approved offsite partners, this role drives operational excellence through disciplined revision control, data-driven decision-making, and proactive risk management consistent with aerospace and defense expectations.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Technical Oversight
- Lead, manage, and mentor the Process Engineering team supporting Class 3 aerospace and high-reliability PCBA builds.
- Establish and track performance against KPIs tied to yield, defect reduction, process capability, and certification compliance.
- Enforce accountability and manage corrective or disciplinary actions in accordance with company policies.
- Facilitate structured cross-functional collaboration between Engineering, Quality, Production, and Program teams to resolve technical and process issues.
Aerospace Manufacturing Process Development
- Review and approve all manufacturing documentation to ensure compliance with IPC Class 3, customer specifications, and aerospace quality requirements.
- Ensure MPI packages, tooling, fixtures, machine programs, and inspection criteria are complete, validated, and controlled prior to release.
- Maintain strict revision control for all manufacturing documentation, certifications, tooling qualifications, and machine programs.
- Develop, validate, and certify manufacturing processes from initial concept through first article, qualification, and sustained production.
- Ensure processes support full traceability, lot control, and defect containment as required for aerospace customers.
- Define robust work instructions and process flows that minimize variation and maximize repeatability in high-mix, low-volume environments.
Production Support & Continuous Improvement
- Provide direct engineering support to production teams for SMT, thru-hole, selective solder, AOI, AXI, rework, conformal coating, and final inspection processes.
- Establish and maintain accurate route times, standard labor models, and lead times aligned with aerospace scheduling commitments.
- Support capacity planning to ensure staffing, equipment, and certifications meet current and future program requirements.
- Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action activities using production data, quality metrics, and customer feedback.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives on repeat aerospace builds, implementing controlled process or documentation revisions when required.
- Partner with Quality on NPI risk assessments, PFMEAs, control plans, and DFM/DFT reviews to ensure defect prevention at launch.
- Balance cost, schedule, and quality while never compromising Class 3 compliance or customer requirements.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or 10+ years of progressive experience in high-reliability EMS manufacturing.
- Demonstrated leadership experience in process engineering for Class 3 aerospace, defense, or mission-critical electronics.
- Strong hands-on knowledge of SMT, thru-hole, AOI/AXI, selective solder, rework, and inspection in regulated environments.
Skills & Qualifications
- Deep understanding of IPC Class 3 standards and aerospace customer quality requirements.
- Proven ability to implement and enforce process validation, certification, and revision control disciplines.
- Strong command of DFM/DFT principles, PFMEA, control plans, and risk-based decision-making.
- Experience with manufacturing documentation systems, MES, and data-driven process analysis tools.
- Familiarity with ESD controls, safety regulations, and high-reliability workmanship standards.
- Excellent organizational, analytical, and communication skills with the ability to lead across multiple facilities and teams.
Rocket EMS will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the California Fair Chance Act. Candidates are not required to disclose criminal history or participate in a background check unless and until a conditional offer of employment has been made. Any final offer of employment may be conditioned on completion of a background check, consistent with applicable law.
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