Quality Technician - SMT Service & Repair

Position Summary

The Quality Technician supports day-to-day quality activities for an SMT/PCBA manufacturing facility supporting server and rack manufacturing, service, and repair operations.

This role performs manufacturing quality control, incoming material inspection, in-process and final inspection, laboratory testing, quality data collection, and basic failure analysis activities. The technician works closely with Quality Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Production, SQE, and other cross-functional teams to ensure materials and products meet applicable drawings, specifications, workmanship standards, and quality requirements.

The position requires a hands-on individual who can follow established procedures and Quality Engineer instructions while independently performing routine inspection and testing activities.

Key Responsibilities

1. Manufacturing Quality Control

• Perform routine quality inspections and manufacturing quality control activities throughout the SMT/PCBA production process.


• Support SMT, DIP/through-hole, assembly, testing, repair, and pack-out quality activities as required.


• Conduct in-process and final inspections according to drawings, specifications, work instructions, control plans, and workmanship standards.


• Monitor manufacturing quality conditions and identify workmanship or process abnormalities.


• Support First Article Inspection (FAI), First Piece Inspection, trial builds, NPI builds, and process qualification activities.


• Identify, document, segregate, and escalate nonconforming materials and products.


• Support containment, sorting, re-inspection, and verification activities when quality issues occur.

2. Incoming Quality Control (IQC)

• Perform incoming inspection of materials and components according to inspection procedures and sampling requirements.


• Inspect mechanical parts, PCB/PCBA materials, electronic components, connectors, cables, thermal/mechanical components, and other production materials as applicable.


• Perform dimensional and visual inspection using appropriate inspection and measurement equipment.


• Verify supplier documentation, part identification, labeling, packaging, workmanship, and material condition.


• Record inspection results and support disposition of nonconforming incoming materials.


• Assist SQE/Quality Engineering with supplier quality investigations and material-related issues.

3. Laboratory Testing & Measurement

• Perform laboratory testing and measurement activities by following approved procedures, test methods, or Quality Engineer instructions.


• Operate common quality laboratory and inspection equipment such as microscopes, digital microscopes, measuring tools, gauges, dimensional measurement systems, and other applicable test equipment.


• Prepare samples and specimens for inspection, measurement, testing, and failure analysis.


• Accurately record test conditions, results, observations, measurements, and supporting photos/data.


• Maintain appropriate traceability of samples and test records.


• Support Quality Engineers with validation, reliability, and failure analysis testing.

4. SMT / PCBA Quality Support

• Perform visual inspection of PCBAs for soldering, component placement, polarity/orientation, contamination, damage, and workmanship issues.


• Familiar with common SMT/PCBA defects such as solder bridging, insufficient/excess solder, opens, tombstoning, misalignment, damaged components, contamination, and handling damage.


• Support inspection activities involving AOI, X-ray, microscope, or other inspection equipment where applicable.


• Support quality verification of repaired/reworked PCBAs and service-return products.


• Follow ESD and proper electronic component handling requirements.

5. Quality Documentation & Data

• Accurately complete inspection reports, test records, checklists, and quality documentation.


• Enter and maintain quality inspection/test data in applicable systems or databases.


• Support NCR/nonconformance records, defect tracking, and quality issue documentation.


• Collect data for quality metrics, defect trends, yield analysis, and process improvement activities.


• Maintain inspection and laboratory records in accordance with document control requirements.

6. Quality System & Continuous Improvement Support

• Follow applicable Quality Management System procedures and work instructions.


• Support internal, customer, and external audit preparation when required.


• Participate in root cause investigations and corrective/preventive action activities under Quality Engineering direction.


• Support 5S, continuous improvement, and quality improvement activities.


• Escalate abnormal quality conditions promptly and provide accurate supporting data.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or technical/vocational education; associate degree preferred.


• Minimum 4 years of quality inspection, electronics, relevant manufacturing quality experience, preferably in electronics, SMT, PCBA, server, rack, or related manufacturing


• Basic understanding of manufacturing quality control and inspection methods.


• Experience using common measurement and inspection tools.


• Ability to read drawings, specifications, work instructions, and inspection criteria.


• Basic computer skills and ability to accurately enter inspection/test data.


• Ability to follow established test procedures and engineering instructions.


• Good attention to detail and willingness to perform hands-on inspection and laboratory work.


• Stronger experience with incoming, in-process, final inspection, and/or laboratory testing.


• Able to independently perform routine inspections and tests with limited supervision.


• Able to recognize quality abnormalities and provide initial assessment/data to Quality Engineering.


• Experience supporting FAI, NPI/trial builds, nonconformance investigations, containment, or failure analysis is preferred.


• Experience coaching or providing technical guidance to junior technicians is desirable.

Preferred Technical Skills

Experience with some of the following is preferred but not required:

• SMT/PCBA manufacturing and workmanship inspection


• Incoming Quality Control (IQC)


• IPC workmanship standards, particularly IPC-A-610


• ESD controls and electronic component handling


• Reading mechanical drawings and engineering specifications


• Basic GD&T knowledge


• Digital microscope / optical inspection


• Vernier calipers, micrometers, height gauges, pin gauges and other measuring tools


• CMM or optical dimensional measurement systems


• X-ray or AOI inspection


• Solder joint inspection


• Sample preparation and basic failure analysis


• Basic electrical measurement/testing


• Quality sampling and inspection plans


• NCR/nonconforming material control


• Basic understanding of 5-Why, Fishbone, 8D, SPC, and root cause analysis


• Microsoft Excel and basic quality data analysis

Key Competencies

• Strong attention to detail and quality awareness


• Hands-on technical and problem-solving ability


• Ability to follow written procedures and engineering instructions


• Good observation and defect-recognition skills


• Accurate documentation and record keeping


• Ability to handle multiple quality activities based on production priorities


• Effective communication with Quality, Engineering, Production, and Supplier Quality teams


• Willingness to learn new inspection, laboratory, and measurement equipment


• Ability to work independently on routine assignments and escalate issues appropriately


• Flexible and comfortable working in a multi-function quality technician role