Lead Engineering Technician

Hypertherm Associates is looking for a highly skilled Lead Engineering Technician with a strong background in automation and fixturing to join our waterjet team. In this role, you will take ownership of complex technical projects, applying your expertise to overcome obstacles and deliver innovative solutions. You’ll provide guidance, training, and mentorship to other technicians while driving efficiency and quality across our engineering operations.

As a self-starter, you will prioritize tasks, identify opportunities for improvement, and ensure projects move from concept to completion with minimal supervision. This position also includes responsibility for maintaining compliance with electrical safety protocols and lab infrastructure standards.

As a Lead Engineering Technician, you will:

• Oversee engineering workspaces, equipment maintenance and calibration, inventory management, and storage organization while ensuring safety and resource efficiency.
• Support production manufacturing by providing troubleshooting expertise and ability to safely get back to normal condition by enabling Qualified Electrical Workers guidelines.
• Develop and execute test plans using advanced instrumentation and automation tools; document results accurately.
• Apply expertise to diagnose and resolve system-level issues across mechanical, electrical, and automation technologies; occasional travel to support service teams.
• Provide insights on manufacturability, serviceability, and fixturing improvements.
• Delegate tasks effectively, maintain best practices in data management, and leverage coding/scripting for automated testing.
• Ensure compliance with electrical safety standards (NFPA70E) and regulatory requirements for lab infrastructure and equipment calibration.
• Mentor and coach technicians, champion continuous improvement initiatives (Kaizen, 5S), and lead prototype builds with manufacturing engagement.

Who you are and the experience you bring:

• AS degree or equivalent technical experience with 10 years in engineering environments.
• Broad experience in automation and fixturing design.
• Strong knowledge of electrical safety protocols and regulatory standards.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot and modify integrated circuits/PCBs down to component level.
• Advanced skills with industrial machinery, hand/power tools, and assembly of devices/test fixtures.
• Ability to read, redline, and create 2D engineering drawings and electrical schematics; familiarity with 3D CAD preferred.
• Self-directed, proactive, and capable of prioritizing tasks and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Preferred knowledge that differentiates you:

• Experience operating and maintaining high-pressure waterjet machinery.
• Advanced experience with precision measuring devices (CMM, micrometer, laser).
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks) or PCB layout (Altium).
• Familiarity with IEC-60974, UL, CSA, CCC, CE standards.

Location: Kent, WA (Relocation assistance provided)

Besides our incredible culture, some of the benefits you can expect with a career at Hypertherm Associates:

• Global, 100% employee-owned company
• Profit-Sharing
• Employee Stock Ownership
• Five days/year Community Service Time
• Strong commitment to Environmental Stewardship
• Stable, growing organization with a no-layoff philosophy

Hypertherm Associates is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we welcome all applications. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

At Hypertherm Associates, we are committed to building an inclusive diverse, flexible, and collaborative environment. If our mission resonates with you, but you don’t meet all posted requirements, we encourage you to still apply. We will evaluate your application materials and may suggest alternative roles that better leverage your strengths and talents. For positions with multiple levels, we will evaluate your prior experience to determine the level within our organization you are best aligned based upon the job applying.

CURRENT ASSOCIATES OR TEMPORARY ASSOCIATES: Please apply via your internal Workday career account.

$34.66-$57.77 Hourly

This is the base pay range that an applicant can expect to make upon hire.

Pay within this range will vary based upon relevant experience, skills, and education among other factors.