Sr. PCBA Manufacturing Engineer

Department: Production & Test

Location: Hawthorne, California

Compensation: $129,000 - $175,000 / year

Description

Venturi Astrolab, Inc. (Astrolab) is pioneering new ways to explore and operate on distant planetary bodies. We are singularly focused on designing, building, and operating a fleet of multi-purpose commercial planetary rovers to extend and enhance humanity’s presence in the solar system. We are seeking motivated, creative, and exceptional people to join our world-class team.

Astrolab is looking for a team member who will support both the development of lunar rovers and the development of our production processes and facility. You will collaborate across design engineering, supply chain, quality, and our manufacturing partners to advance product design in tandem with improving our means to build and test. You will own manufacturing processes, including overseeing Contract Manufacturers (CMs) and guiding internal production teams to ensure timely delivery of high-reliability printed circuit boards (PCBs) and printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs). This includes responsibility for all factory-floor processes, tooling, and continuous improvement initiatives.

What you'll do:

• Collaborate with Design Engineering to provide PCB/PCBA Design for Excellence (DFX) feedback and identify manufacturing risks early in development
• Partner with supply chain and EEE components engineers to establish and enforce a preferred parts list, identify alternate parts, and address part obsolescence
• Perform in-depth reviews of schematics, eCAD, and BOMs and create Fabrication and Assembly drawings in Altium
• Contribute to design reviews as a subject matter expert in manufacturability, testability, yield improvement, supplier capability, and quality control
• Define and document manufacturing and test best practices for PCB designers to adhere to
• Lead PCB/PCBA manufacturing vendor selection and qualification, define manufacturing readiness requirements, and drive milestone reviews
• Develop and validate advanced manufacturing and test processes, including equipment selection, commissioning, documentation, and training
• Select and qualify materials including PCB substrates, solder, flux, and polymerics (staking, underfill, and conformal coat)
• Work closely with CMs to establish repeatable, high-quality processes for quick-turn and flight-grade builds
• Direct and coordinate PCB fabrication and PCBA manufacturing activities, including managing supplier relations, overseeing quarantine and rework operations, and spearheading continuous improvement initiatives
• Write and maintain engineering documentation including drawing notes, mBOMs, work instructions, inspection requirements, rework practices, and standard operating procedures
• Support technicians and engineers in building prototype hardware and transitioning designs from development, through qualification, and into production
• Investigate non-conformances to identify root causes, develop corrective actions, and drive systemic improvements to designs and manufacturing processes
• Identify opportunities to reduce risk, simplify processes, and enhance PCB/PCBA quality, throughput, and cost
  
  

What you'll bring:

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field; master's degree or relevant certifications are a plus
• 5 years of experience in PCB fabrication or PCBA assembly manufacturing. Preference for candidates with NPI, spaceflight hardware, and NASA program experience
• Expertise in board assembly processes and equipment: stencil/paste print, SPI, pick & place, SMT reflow, AOI, selective solder, X-ray inspection, flying probe, cleaning, coating, and programming
• Extensive knowledge of IPC and NASA standards (IPC-A-600/610 Class 3, J-STD-001, IPC-6012, IPC-CC-830, IPC-SM-840, IPC-TM-650, NASA-STD-8739.1). Experience with the IPC space addendum is a plus
• Demonstrated experience with materials used in PCBA manufacturing including PCB substrates, polymerics (conformal coating, staking, underfill), solder alloys, and electrical components
• Experience developing and supporting PCBA manufacturing processes (SMT, X-ray, ICT, flying probe, DFT)
• Knowledge of circuit analysis, test plan development, and troubleshooting of electrical hardware failures
• Skilled in failure analysis tools and techniques (SEM, EDX, X-ray, cross-sectioning) and driving root cause investigations
• Experience with rigid and flex PCBs for high power and high data rates in high noise environments
• Experience implementing and enforcing Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Design for Test (DFT) principles and leading DFX reviews
• Experience with tools such as Altium, SiliconExpert, Valor, and GIDEP
• Experience collaborating with contract manufacturers and suppliers to improve reliability, lead time, and cost
• Ability to lead small teams in root cause investigations and process improvements
• Strong technical writing skills for manufacturing documentation and communication
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills with a track record of cross-functional teamwork
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage priorities, and communicate effectively with internal and external partners

Additional Responsibilities

• Must be able and willing to periodically travel (i.e. field testing events)
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs
  
  

What We Offer:

• Work with a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration
• Ownership in the company
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with matching
• Flexible time off and parental leave
• On-site snacks, beverages, and 2x weekly lunches
• Flexible work environment