Manufacturing Engineer II

Position Title and

Location:

Manufacturing Engineer II (McMinnville, OR)

Applied Physics Technologies is a leading manufacturer of thermionic and field-emission cathodes and related electron-source assemblies. Located in the heart of Oregon’s wine country, APT combines the global reach and resources of Hitachi High‑Tech with the close‑knit culture and individual impact of a smaller, growing manufacturing company.

Our products incorporate specialized materials, high‑vacuum processes, precision manufacturing, high‑voltage conditioning, and exacting assembly and test requirements. Because our engineering and production teams work closely together, Manufacturing Engineers at APT have a direct and visible impact on product quality, delivery performance, manufacturing capability, and customer satisfaction.

As a Manufacturing Engineer, you will be responsible for the technical health, reliability, and continuous improvement of assigned manufacturing processes. You will work directly with production personnel to diagnose process and equipment problems, restore production when interruptions occur, reduce recurring failures, and improve manufacturing safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost.

APT’s manufacturing processes include zone refining of boride materials and tungsten; micromachining and shaping of lanthanum hexaboride and cerium hexaboride crystals;
Schottky emitter assembly; cathode and electron‑gun module assembly; tungsten etching; high‑voltage conditioning; and cathode and module testing.

The successful candidate will develop sufficient knowledge of these processes to serve as a dependable technical resource when problems arise. This requires strong engineering fundamentals, hands‑on mechanical and electrical aptitude, experience with vacuum systems and high voltage, disciplined troubleshooting skills, and the ability to work calmly but urgently during line‑down situations.

• Develop a detailed working knowledge of assigned products, equipment, materials, manufacturing processes, process parameters, test methods, and acceptance criteria.
• Provide hands‑on engineering support for manufacturing processes, including:

- Zone refining of borides and tungsten.

- Micromachining and shaping of lanthanum hexaboride and cerium hexaboride crystals.

- Schottky emitter assembly.

- Cathode and electron‑gun module assembly.

- Tungsten etching and related chemical processes.

- High‑voltage conditioning of electron‑gun modules.

- Electrical, emission, vacuum, cathode, and module testing.

• Diagnose process, equipment, tooling, material, and product‑performance problems using structured troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis.
• Respond promptly to line‑down and production‑limiting conditions, balancing the need to restore production with safety, quality, and documentation requirements.
• Lead or support immediate containment, technical investigation, corrective action, verification of effectiveness, and prevention of recurrence.
• Work closely with production technicians and supervisors to resolve day‑to‑day manufacturing issues and improve process consistency.
• Provide clear and timely communication regarding production problems, technical risks, recovery plans, corrective actions, and expected completion dates.
• Establish appropriate process controls, operating limits, inspection points, test requirements, and reaction plans.
• Train and support production personnel in manufacturing methods, troubleshooting practices, process changes, and new equipment.

• Evaluate manufacturing processes and workflows to identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, capacity, repeatability, and cost.
• Lead process‑improvement projects from problem definition through implementation and verification.
• Apply manufacturing, industrial, mechanical, electrical, materials, and systems‑engineering principles to improve product flow and process performance.
• Conduct time studies, capacity analyses, workflow evaluations, and line‑balancing activities as appropriate.
• Develop and monitor meaningful manufacturing metrics, including yield,…