Staff Engineer, Hardware Design

Date: Oct 26, 2026

Location: San Jose, CA, US

The Staff Engineer, PCB Manufacturing (Production)is the primary technical authority responsible for the physical realization and mass production of high-complexity PCBA systems. This role bridges the gap between customer design requirements and factory-floor execution. You will lead the transition of new products (NPI) into high-volume manufacturing, ensuring that all assemblies meet stringent reliability, yield, and quality standards for industries such as Aerospace, Defense, and AI Infrastructure.

NPI & Production Launch:Lead the deployment of strategic, complex New Product Introduction (NPI) programs. Coordinate site-wide efforts to set up production lines, including technical ownership of the manufacturing sequence and assembly flow.

Technical Leadership:Provide high-level technical guidance to a team of process engineers and technicians. Act as the subject matter expert (SME) for SMT and PCB fabrication challenges.

Process Engineering & Optimization:Develop and refine manufacturing processes, including stencil design, solder paste selection, reflow profiling (Convection/Vapor Phase), wave/selective soldering, and AOI/SPI parameters.

Advanced DFX (Design for Excellence):Review and interpret customer hardware specifications to provide deep-dive
DFM (Manufacturing), DFA (Assembly), and DFT (Test)feedback.

Supplier Technical Management:Own technical relationships with external PCB fabricators. Approve multi-layer stack-ups and resolve fabrication-level issues such as plating quality and material compatibility.

Root Cause & Failure Analysis:Lead 8D investigations and RCCA for production escapes or field failures. Utilize tools like
3D X-Ray and cross-sectioning
to diagnose solder joint and fabrication defects.

• May manage relationships with key vendors/partners.
• Research systems ideas and will draw up plans for these systems
• Design, modify and implement systems that meet customer and Celestica needs.
• Create designs in line with Celesticas procedures, regulations and customer standards
• Keep up to date with relevant industry knowledge and regulations
• Solve complex problems
• Liaison with suppliers, customers, contractors, and other internal teams.
• Recommend system modifications

Factory Floor Presence:Requires frequent presence on the production floor to troubleshoot equipment and audit processes.

Manual Handling:Occasional handling of hardware and microscopic inspection. Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted.

• Duties of this position are performed in a normal office environment.
• Duties may require extended periods of sitting and sustained visual concentration on a computer monitor or on numbers and other detailed data.
• Repetitive manual movements (e.g., data entry, using a computer mouse, using a calculator, etc.) are frequently required.
• Occasional travel may be required.

Salary Range: $150k-$200k Annually

The salary range described in this posting is an estimate by the Company, and may change based on several factors, including but not limited to a change in the duties covered by the job posting, or the credentials, experience or geographic jurisdiction of the successful candidate.

The stated range includes Base Salary and target Short-Term Incentive (STI) compensation only. A comprehensive benefits package is offered in addition to this range.

Experience:7 to 10+ years of related experience in an electronics manufacturing (EMS) environment or high-reliability hardware production (Space/Defense).

• Education:Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Manufacturing, Electrical, or Mechanical).

Educati…