Sr. Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Summary

The Senior Manufacturing Engineering Manager is responsible for leading the planning, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of all manufacturing engineering processes across Omega EMS's U.S. and Vietnam facilities. This role manages the engineering team to ensure process readiness, operational excellence, and compliance with quality standards in a high-mix, low-volume electronics environment. The position requires strong technical acumen, leadership ability, and cross-functional collaboration with Quality, Production, and Program Management teams.  The Sr. Manufacturing Engineering Manager reports directly to the VP of Operations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor the Manufacturing and Process Engineering teams, overseeing daily workflow, resource allocation, and schedules.
• Demonstrate leadership through regular floor presence—coaching engineers in real time, assisting with line troubleshooting, and ensuring that engineering decisions are data-driven.
• Conduct performance evaluations, provide salary recommendations, and participate in recruitment and hiring decisions in collaboration with HR.
• Develop and coach team members to achieve measurable goals related to productivity, quality yield, and process standardization.
• Direct the development, documentation, and maintenance of manufacturing processes, including SMT, Through-Hole, Secondary, and System Assembly operations.
• Oversee the design and procurement of tooling (stencils, fixtures, wave solder pallets, press-fit tooling) to ensure timely readiness for production builds.
• Ensure all Manufacturing Process Instructions (MPIs), control plans, and work instructions are accurate, current, and compliant with customer and ISO/AS9100 requirements.
• Manage engineering support for NPIs and sustaining builds, ensuring DFM, ECO, and build readiness deliverables are completed on time.
• Review and approve First Article (FAI) documentation to ensure process stability and compliance prior to production release.
• Collaborate with Quality and Production to identify and eliminate root causes of process defects using structured problem-solving tools (8D, DMAIC, Fishbone, Pareto).
• Analyze yield, scrap, and downtime data to identify trends and lead projects that reduce waste and improve throughput.
• Oversee cost-reduction initiatives through process re-engineering, tooling optimization, and best-practice implementation.
• Maintain active engagement with production and engineering teams to verify corrective actions and ensure defect-reduction initiatives are executed effectively.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to implement process improvements and lead internal DRT (Defect Reduction) and CI (Continuous Improvement) meetings.
• Ensure accurate and timely flow of customer data, including BOMs, drawings, and build instructions.
• Serve as the primary technical liaison for customer DFM discussions, process reviews, and audit preparation.
• Support ISO 9001/AS9100 and ITAR compliance activities, internal audits, and external customer or regulatory audits.
• Partner with operations and quality leadership to align engineering standards with production execution and company KPIs.
• Develop and track key metrics including First Pass Yield (FPY), Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), On-Time Delivery (OTD), and engineering response time.
• Prepare and present status reports, cost analyses, and improvement plans to senior management.
• Lead the transition and standardization of processes between the San Jose and Vietnam facilities, ensuring consistent process replication.
• Participate in capital equipment justification and process automation initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor degree required, Master degree in Engineering or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in electronics manufacturing, with at least 5 years in a leadership or management capacity.
• Proven experience leading technical teams in a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated hands-on engineering approach with strong floor presence; capable of leading by example and resolving process or quality issues alongside engineers and technicians.
• Comprehensive understanding of SMT, Through-Hole, and mechanical assembly processes.
• Familiarity with FactoryLogix MES and ERP systems.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, SPC, and structured problem-solving tools.
• Ability to effectively interface with customers, executives, and cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office, PDF editing tools, and engineering applications.
• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident (ITAR requirement).

Skills

• Proven ability to lead and inspire a diverse technical team toward shared performance goals.
• Strong analytical reasoning and conflict-resolution abilities.
• Experienced in data-driven decision-making and KPI management.
• Quality-focused, detail-oriented, and proactive in identifying and mitigating process risks.
• Capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate technical excellence, strong leadership, and a commitment to establishing engineering standards that drive consistent product quality, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction across Omega EMS's global operations.