DFA Engineer

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Regular Full-Time Senior San Jose, CA, US

30+ days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $85,000.00 to $ annually

Sierra Circuits is a Silicon Valley-based leader in printed circuit board manufacturing and assembly, specializing in high-quality, quick-turn and complex prototypes. With over 35 years of experience, Sierra provides a seamless, end-to-end PCB solution—from design and fabrication to assembly and testing—all under one roof at its state-of-the-art facilities in Sunnyvale, California. Sierra Circuits is committed to supporting engineers and designers through extensive educational resources.

The company offers free online tools such as the Stackup Designer, Impedance Calculator, Material Selector, and BOM and DFM Checkers, along with technical blogs, webinars, design guides, and its Sierra Connect community forum. Sierra Circuit serves all industries including aerospace, defense, medical, automotive, and telecommunications, building PCBs to the highest industry standards, and keeping innovation at the forefront of everything we do.

• Design for Assembly (ADFAE):
  Analyze PCB designs and provide feedback to improve manufacturability and efficiency during SMT production. Collaborate with design engineers to optimize component placements, solder joints, and assembly processes.
• SMT Process Development:
  Develop, optimize, and maintain SMT assembly processes, including stencil design, solder paste application, component placement, and reflow soldering, to ensure high-quality output.
• Manufacturing Support:
  Provide technical support and troubleshooting for SMT assembly lines. Collaborate with production teams to identify and resolve issues related to assembly defects, component fit, or solderability.
• Continuous Improvement:
  Lead initiatives for process improvements, yield enhancement, and cycle time reduction in SMT production. Implement best practices and drive Lean Manufacturing principles to improve overall efficiency.
• DFM Analysis:
  Conduct Design for Manufacturability (DFM) analysis on new and existing products, identifying potential design and process risks and offering solutions to minimize production disruptions and improve yields.
• Equipment Selection & Maintenance:
  Recommend SMT equipment upgrades or new purchases to enhance assembly capabilities. Ensure SMT machinery is properly calibrated and maintained.
• Develop Manufacturing Process Instructions (MPI’s) & Rework Instructions.
• Ensure that all proper documentation and data is available for all assembly jobs.
• Work with the Assembly Management Team to completely implement/monitor the Assembly Management System.
• Be available as back‑up for walk‑throughs, site audits, or any other requests from customers and partners.
• Quality Assurance:
  Collaborate with the quality engineering team to define inspection criteria, conduct root cause analysis of assembly defects, and implement corrective actions.
• Documentation & Reporting:
  Maintain detailed documentation of process parameters, technical issues, and solutions. Report findings and recommendations to relevant stakeholders.
• Cross‑functional
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Work closely with cross‑functional teams, including product design, process engineering, quality assurance, and supply chain to ensure product designs are optimized for manufacturability and meet production requirements.
• Work extended hours based on company needs and be available for after‑hours emergency calls.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. Equivalent experience will be considered.
• Experience:
  
  2 – 5 + years of experience in SMT/DFA engineering in a high‑volume manufacturing environment.
• Technical
  
  Skills:
  • Strong understanding of SMT assembly processes including stencil printing, pick‑and‑place, reflow soldering, and automated optical inspection (AOI).
  • Proficiency in Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and DFA principles.
  • Experience with SMT programming, equipment setup, and troubleshooting.
  • Famil…