NPI Technician

Milwaukee Electronics is a trusted electronics manufacturing services partner helping customers bring innovative electronic products from prototype through production. We are seeking an NPI Technician to review new PCB assembly jobs before they enter manufacturing and help ensure each build is accurate, manufacturable, cost-effective, and ready for production.

This is an excellent opportunity for an SMT technician, machine programmer, NPI technician, or electronics manufacturing professional who enjoys solving technical problems before they reach the production floor.

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 1:00 PM–9:30 PM

Training Schedule: Monday–Friday, day shift, for approximately two months

What You’ll Do

You will work at the intersection of customer design, engineering, and manufacturing execution. Your work will help prevent production issues, improve first-pass quality, and support successful new product launches.

• Review incoming PCB assembly jobs for manufacturability and production readiness.
• Interpret customer drawings, Gerber files, BOMs, CAD data, and other manufacturing documentation.
• Identify missing, conflicting, or unclear information before jobs enter production.
• Evaluate manufacturing steps and tooling requirements that may affect cost, quality, or lead time.
• Generate Design for Manufacturability feedback using Valor or similar DFM tools.
• Recommend PCB panelization, tooling, and process improvements.
• Order and manage stencils, SMT carriers, fixtures, and other production tooling.
• Modify or coordinate changes to production tooling when needed.
• Partner with Customer Service, Engineering, Quality, and Production to resolve technical questions.
• Research previous builds and defect history to help prevent repeat issues.
• Support NPI activities, including BOM setup, tooling coordination, and 3D-printed tooling.
• Communicate technical findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and nontechnical partners.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings as a resource for DFM, tooling, and defect prevention.
• Support Lean manufacturing and continuous-improvement initiatives.

What You Bring

• Two or more years of experience in SMT manufacturing, SMT equipment programming, NPI, electronics process support, or a related manufacturing environment.
• Experience reading and interpreting technical drawings, BOMs, assembly documentation, and customer-provided manufacturing data.
• Working knowledge of PCB assembly and SMT manufacturing processes.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to identify technical discrepancies and communicate recommended solutions.
• Strong attention to detail, quality, and accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-mix manufacturing environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across departments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate degree in electronics, manufacturing technology, engineering technology, or a related field. Equivalent hands-on experience will also be considered.
• Experience programming or supporting pick-and-place, solder-paste printing, AOI, SPI, or related SMT equipment.
• Experience with stencils, fixtures, carriers, pallets, panelization, or other production tooling.
• Experience supporting new product introduction or prototype-to-production transitions.
• Familiarity with Gerber, ODB , centroid, XY placement, CAD, or similar manufacturing files.
• Experience with Valor or another DFM-analysis platform is helpful but not required.
• Experience in a high-mix electronics manufacturing services environment.

Why This Role Matters

Your work will help identify manufacturing risks before a product reaches the floor. By reviewing technical data, coordinating tooling, and resolving issues early, you will help improve quality, reduce costs, prevent delays, and create smoother product launches.

This may be a strong fit if you enjoy understanding how a PCB assembly will be built, finding problems before they become production issues, and connecting customer requirements with practical manufacturing solutions.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described below represent those that must be met to perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities.

While performing this job, the employee is regularly required to use their hands to handle objects and reach with their hands and arms. The employee frequently sits, stands, talks, and listens, and may occasionally walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee must frequently lift or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move up to 40 pounds. The position requires close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

This role is primarily performed in an office and electronics manufacturing environment. A significant portion of the work involves reviewing technical information on a computer and communicating with Customer Service, Engineering, Quality, and Production employees.

The noise level is generally moderate. This position must be performed on-site, and regular attendance is an essential function of the job.

MILWAUKEE ELECTRONICS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or age. If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at 414-228-5000 or hr@milwaukeeelectronics.com.

For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please see this government poster: Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (eeoc.gov).

Because this job has access to controlled technology, we must comply with ITAR. Any job offers will be contingent on verification that the candidate is a U.S. person (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent resident, or individual granted asylum/refugee status in the U.S.) or can otherwise satisfy ITAR compliance requirements. If applicable, if an individual is not a U.S. person, our policy is to not take the extra step of seeking approval from the federal government for that person to work in this position.

Upon hire, the successful candidate must present acceptable proof of identity and current authorization to work in the U.S., as required on Form I-9. We do not provide sponsorship support for employment-based visas such as H-1B.