Principal Engineer, Master Black Belt

About the Role

As Principal Engineer, Master Black Belt, you will lead enterprise‑wide quality and operational excellence initiatives across our high‑performance, liquid‑cooled server products and related manufacturing processes.

Your focus will be on continuous improvement, mentoring Black Belts and Green Belts, and ensuring product reliability while maintaining critical business metrics such as customer delivery, cost efficiency, and process effectiveness.

• Lead or contribute to transformation initiatives, helping set new standards for how ZT approaches manufacturing risk analysis, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Define and implement new systems, processes, or frameworks that support the smart factory vision, including automation, metrology, advanced inspection and testing, and predictive analytics.
• Leverage deep, data‑rich environments and tools to generate insights that improve yield, reliability, and throughput.
• Collaborate across design, quality, manufacturing, test, and supplier engineering to drive solutions that integrate seamlessly into production.
• Apply advanced statistical and analytical methods to identify, quantify, and control risk in complex manufacturing environments.
• Translate DFM and PFMEA outputs into actionable process controls, ensuring proactive prevention of variation rather than reactive correction.
• Coach and mentor Black Belts and Green Belts to develop technical skills, leadership capabilities, and project execution excellence.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and data‑driven decision‑making across all levels of the organization.
• Lead cross‑functional teams to resolve complex operational issues and implement enterprise‑level improvement initiatives.
• Define, monitor, and analyze key operational and quality metrics to drive continuous improvement and sustain performance gains.
• Establish and standardize Lean Six Sigma methodologies and best practices across the organization to ensure consistent application and continuous improvement.

• MBA or exposure to business, finance or economics is advantageous.
• 10–15 years of experience in high‑volume, high‑complexity manufacturing, with at least 5 years in leadership or transformation roles.
• Demonstrated expertise in statistical and analytical methods such as regression analysis, correlation analysis, DOE, SPC, PFMEA, Gauge R&R, and commonality studies.
• Proficiency with data‑driven tools such as Minitab, JMP, Python, R, SQL (or equivalent) to analyze and interpret large, complex datasets.
• Track record of driving measurable improvements in yield, reliability, or process robustness.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage at both executive and technical levels.
• Background in electronics assembly, PCBA, servers, or other high‑reliability industries (e.g., aerospace, medical devices, automotive).
• Experience coaching or mentoring technical teams to upskill in data‑driven decision‑making.
• Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt.
• Nice to have: exposure to or knowledge of AI/ML toolsets for predictive analytics or anomaly detection, proven success driving enterprise‑level quality or operational excellence programs, ISO 9000 / ISO 9001 familiarity.

Base salary range: $141,000 – $188,000 annually, adjusted for experience, skills, and certifications. Additional components may include bonus, paid time off, generous 401(k) match, tuition reimbursement, and wellness resources.

ZT Group Int’l. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. ZT Systems provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Please be aware that certain positions may require the applicant to either (i) be a U.S. citizen or national, (ii) be a U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), (iii) be a refugee under 8 U.S.C. §1157, (iv) be an asylee under 8 U.S.C. §1158, or (v) be eligible to obtain an export control license or license exception from the Bureau of Industry and Science & U.S. Department of Commerce.