Associate Manufacturing Engineer - Must Be In Salem Office 3 Days Per Week

Associate Manufacturing Engineer

The Associate Manufacturing Engineer is an entry-level role on the Manufacturing & Test Engineering team, supporting production of Extreme Networks' switching, routing, wireless, and cloud appliance products through global contract manufacturing (CM) and ODM partners. With guidance from senior manufacturing engineers, you will support Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews, create process documentation, assist with New Product Introduction (NPI) builds, and help improve yield, quality, and cost on the production line.

This hands-on role combines process engineering, supplier collaboration, and data analysis, making it a strong starting point for a career in manufacturing, operations, or hardware engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Support DFM, DFA, and DFx reviews for new networking hardware, including PCB assemblies and system-level products, under the guidance of senior manufacturing engineers.
• Help create and maintain manufacturing documentation, including work instructions, routings, BOMs, PFMEAs, and control plans.
• Participate in NPI builds (EVT/DVT/PVT) at CM sites and Extreme labs by collecting build data, tracking issues, and supporting resolution.
• Assist with process qualification for SMT, PTH, BGA rework, conformal coating, mechanical assembly, and box-build operations.
• Analyze production data, including yield, scrap, defect Pareto, and cycle time, to identify improvement opportunities and share findings with the team.
• Support root-cause analysis and 8D problem solving for major production issues, and track corrective and preventive actions through completion.
• Help manage ECO and MCO changes on the production line by coordinating with planning, supply chain, and CM partners.
• Assist with first-article inspections, in-process audits, and supplier process audits at ODM partner sites.
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts using Lean and Six Sigma tools such as 5S, Kaizen, value stream mapping, and SPC.
• Help define and qualify tooling, fixtures, and assembly aids, and track project-level capital and tooling spend.
• Maintain a clean, safe, ESD-controlled work environment and follow all lab and production safety procedures.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical, or a related engineering discipline, or equivalent experience.
• 0–2 years of relevant experience, including internships, co-ops, or capstone projects in manufacturing, operations, or hardware engineering.
• Working knowledge of electronic assembly processes, including SMT, PTH, BGA, and mechanical assembly, gained through coursework, internships, or hands-on projects.
• Familiarity with engineering drawings, GD&T fundamentals, and reading BOMs and schematics.
• Proficiency with data analysis tools, with Excel required; experience with Power BI, Minitab, JMP, or Python is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly document procedures and findings.
• Curiosity, a sense of ownership, and willingness to spend time on the production floor and in the lab.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to PLM or ERP systems such as Agile, Arena, Oracle, or SAP.
• Coursework or project experience with Lean, Six Sigma, statistical process control (SPC), or Design of Experiments (DOE).
• Familiarity with IPC standards, including IPC-A-610 and J-STD-001, and ISO 9001 quality systems.
• Hands-on experience with CAD tools such as Solid Works, Creo, or AutoCAD for tooling or fixture concepts.
• Awareness of contract manufacturing models, supplier management, or global operations.
• Previous internship or co-op experience with an OEM, EMS, or CM in electronics manufacturing.

Core Competencies

• Curiosity — eager to understand processes, ask questions, and learn how products are built.
• Ownership — follows through on commitments and takes pride in production quality.
• Collaboration — works effectively with senior engineers, operators, technicians, and CM partners.
• Communication — communicates clearly, concisely, and honestly about challenges and results.
• Comfort on the floor — able to split time between desk work, the lab, and the production line.

Work Environment & Physical…