SMT Lead

As an SMT Lead at Rocket EMS, you will provide hands-on leadership for the SMT production team, coordinating daily activities to meet quality, productivity, and delivery goals. You’ll oversee equipment setup, operation, and troubleshooting while training operators and ensuring PCB assemblies meet customer requirements and IPC-A-610 Class 2 and 3 workmanship standards. Working closely with Production Supervision, Engineering, Quality, and Materials, you will keep production moving, resolve line issues, and maintain consistent processes in a fast-paced electronics manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate daily SMT work assignments and line priorities with the Production Supervisor, balancing operator skills, equipment availability, and production requirements.

• Lead, train, and coach SMT operators on equipment operation, setup verification, workmanship standards, and established procedures.

• Review MPIs, assembly drawings, ECOs, BOMs, and customer requirements to ensure the team uses current, approved build documentation.

• Oversee and perform setup, operation, and changeovers for screen printers, solder paste inspection (SPI) systems, pick-and-place machines, and reflow ovens.

• Verify feeder setups, component identification, polarity, orientation, reference designators, and loadouts against approved documentation.

• Load and verify machine programs and coordinate first-article checks and required approvals before releasing builds into production.

• Coordinate with Materials and Engineering to resolve kit shortages, setup discrepancies, and program issues that affect production readiness.

• Monitor line performance and troubleshoot mis-picks, placement errors, solder paste defects, and equipment stoppages. Escalate recurring or complex issues to Engineering, Maintenance, or the Production Supervisor.

• Review SPI, AOI, visual inspection, and reflow results with operators and Quality to identify defects and support corrective action.

• Stop affected production and escalate quality concerns when requirements cannot be met; ensure suspect material is identified and controlled according to procedure.

• Ensure routine equipment cleaning and preventive maintenance are completed, and perform authorized maintenance or calibration tasks according to established procedures.

• Reinforce ESD, moisture-sensitive device (MSD), material traceability, board handling, safety, and housekeeping requirements.

• Track production output, downtime, defects, and schedule progress; communicate barriers and coordinate recovery actions with the Production Supervisor.

• Maintain accurate production records and clear shift pass-downs covering work status, equipment conditions, material issues, and quality concerns.

• Coordinate support for AOI, rework, kit preparation, and other production areas as directed.

• Lead 5S and continuous improvement activities to reduce changeover time, improve line efficiency, and prevent repeat defects.

• Communicate training needs and performance concerns to the Production Supervisor and support follow-up coaching.

Qualifications

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required.

• Technical training in electronics manufacturing or a related field preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 3 years of hands-on SMT production experience in contract manufacturing or electronics assembly.

• Experience setting up, operating, and troubleshooting screen printers, SPI systems, pick-and-place machines, and reflow ovens.

• Previous experience as an SMT Lead, senior operator, or trainer preferred.

• Experience with Fuji, Panasonic, Juki, or comparable SMT equipment preferred.

• IPC-A-610 certification preferred.

ITAR/EAR Compliance: Due to the nature of the work performed at Rocket EMS, this position may require access to export-controlled technical data or technology. The successful candidate must be eligible to access such information under applicable U.S. export-control laws or be eligible for any required government authorization.

Rocket EMS will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the California Fair Chance Act. Candidates are not required to disclose criminal history or participate in a background check unless and until a conditional offer of employment has been made. Any final offer of employment may be conditioned on completion of a background check, consistent with applicable law.
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