Quality Engineering Leader – PCB​/PCBA; Subject Matter Expert

Quality Engineering Leader – PCB / PCBA (Subject Matter Expert)

Location: Seymour, CT

Position Type: Full-Time

Department: Quality Assurance & Reliability Engineering

Industry: Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) / PCBA Manufacturing

Position Overview

The Quality Engineering Leader – PCB / PCBA serves as the senior Subject Matter Expert (SME) responsible for ensuring that bare printed circuit boards and surface‑mount/through‑hole assemblies comply with rigorous internal standards, customer specifications, and industry quality frameworks throughout the product lifecycle.

This role bridges advanced PCB fabrication physics, hands‑on failure analysis, and quality management leadership. By directing quality engineers and inspectors, driving supplier quality management, leading root‑cause investigations, and conducting DFM/DFA reviews, this leader anchors product reliability and defect‑prevention across all stages of production.

Quality Ownership for PCB & PCBA:

• Define, deploy, and maintain incoming inspection criteria, acceptance baselines, and statistical sampling plans for bare boards and raw materials based on IPC standards.
• Establish, execute, and update quality control plans, inspection protocols, and standard operating procedures for SMT and pin‑through‑hole (PTH) assembly lines.
• Direct Material Review Board (MRB) dispositions for non‑conforming components and assemblies; lead comprehensive 8D, RCCA, and CAPA investigations to eliminate recurrence.
• Supervise, mentor, and technically upskill quality engineers and floor inspection personnel.

Technical QA & PCB Subject Matter Expertise:

• Serve as the resident technical authority on PCB layer stack‑ups, laminate properties, copper weights, surface finishes (ENIG, HASL, Immersion Silver/Tin, ENEPIG), and manufacturability constraints.
• Audit and evaluate Gerber files, ODB++ packages, panel drawings, fabrication specifications, and assembly blueprints against DFM, DFA, and assembler design rules.
• Partner closely with NPI and design teams to identify board‑level risks early in the cycle, targeting trace geometries, aspect ratios, thermal relief, solderability, and testpad accessibility.

Supplier Quality Management &

Collaboration:

• Audit, qualify, and monitor external PCB fabricators; evaluate vendor technical capability, yield rates, process control, and reliability for standard and complex multi‑layer boards.
• Direct First Article Inspections (FAI), review FAIR documentation, and audit Certificates of Conformance (CoC) for new board fabricators and revised artwork introductions.
• Issue and drive Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs), tracking vendor performance metrics (PPM defect rates, on‑time FAI delivery, CAPA resolution timelines).
• Direct and perform hands‑on technical investigations and advanced lab evaluations, including cross‑sectioning/micro‑section analysis, X‑ray inspection, AOI review, and electrical test data analysis.
• Lead technical investigations on internal production escapes and customer RMA returns, conducting deep failure analysis to identify root causes and update quality procedures.
• Monitor and report on first‑pass yield trends, Defect Per Million Opportunities (DPMO), and scrap Pareto data; present actionable dashboards to executive Quality and Engineering leadership.
• Ensure strict compliance with industry and regulatory standards, including IPC‑A‑600, IPC‑A‑610, IPC‑6012, ISO 9001, AS9100, and customer quality agreements.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent specialized industry experience focused on PCB/PCBA technology).

Experience: Minimum 10+ years of…