Director of Engineering
Rocket EMS
$150,000 - $200,000 / year
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Description
Director of Engineering
Position Summary
The Director of Engineering oversees all process/manufacturing engineering functions within a high-mix, high-reliability PCBA manufacturing environment producing Class 3 aerospace and mission-critical assemblies. This role leads PCBA manufacturing engineering, process engineering, NPI, DFM/DFX, sustaining engineering, and automation/continuous improvement initiatives. The Director ensures that all engineering processes comply with IPC, J-STD, AS9100, and aerospace customer addendums while optimizing manufacturability, quality, cost, and throughput.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Strategy
- Lead and develop a multidisciplinary engineering team (SMT Process, Manufacturing, New Product Introduction, and Automation).
- Drive engineering strategy aligned with company objectives for quality, cost, yield, and delivery.
- Serve as the technical authority for IPC-J-STD-001 Class 3, IPC-A-610 Class 3, IPC-7711/7721, and aerospace process controls.
Manufacturing / Process Engineering
- Own company-wide engineering initiatives across all PCBA manufacturing functional areas, including build readiness reviews and standardization efforts.
- Ensure process qualification and documentation aligns with J-STD-001 Space & Military Addendum and applicable aerospace customer requirements.
- Establish and maintain process windows, control plans, PFMEAs, and validation reports.
New Product Introduction (NPI)
- Lead DFM/DFX reviews, tooling design, stencil strategy, and prototype builds.
- Oversee creation of travelers, BOM validation, build instructions, and work instructions in compliance with AS9100.
- Manage engineering change control (ECOs), configuration management, and revision control.
Automation & Continuous Improvement
- Lead LEAN/CI programs focused on waste reduction, defect elimination, and throughput improvement.
- Collaborate closely with Quality Engineering to address defects, root cause investigations, and MRB activities.
- Implement process monitoring, SPC, and industry 4.0 tools.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Production, Quality, Program Management, Supply Chain, and SMT departments.
- Provide engineering support during customer audits, FAIs, PFMEAs, and technical reviews.
- Partner with external suppliers on polymerics, tooling, fixtures, materials, and new process technologies.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).
- 10-15+ years in PCBA manufacturing engineering with at least 10+ years in a leadership role.
- Deep knowledge of:
- IPC-J-STD-001 Class 3 & Space/Military Addendums
- IPC-A-610 Class 3
- AS9100D
- IPC-7351, 7711/7721, 2221
- Experience with aerospace, defense, medical, or other high-reliability electronics.
- Strong background in SMT (printing, placement, reflow), AOI/AXI, DFM/DFX, Rework, Chemical Wash, Polymerics, and test strategies.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and technical decision-making abilities.
ITAR/EAR Compliance: Due to the nature of the work performed at Rocket EMS, this position may require access to export-controlled technical data or technology. The successful candidate must be eligible to access such information under applicable U.S. export-control laws or be eligible for any required government authorization.
Rocket EMS will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the California Fair Chance Act. Candidates are not required to disclose criminal history or participate in a background check unless and until a conditional offer of employment has been made. Any final offer of employment may be conditioned on completion of a background check, consistent with applicable law.
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About this role
Rocket EMS is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead all manufacturing and process engineering functions at their Carson City facility, which specializes in high-reliability Class 3 aerospace and mission-critical PCBA assemblies. You would own the full engineering lifecycle—from new product introduction and design-for-manufacturability through sustaining engineering, process qualification, and continuous improvement. This role demands deep expertise in aerospace standards (AS9100D, IPC-J-STD-001 Class 3, IPC-A-610) and the ability to drive strategy across SMT processes, automation, quality compliance, and LEAN initiatives while managing a multidisciplinary team.
The ideal candidate brings 10+ years of PCBA manufacturing engineering experience with at least a decade in leadership, ideally in aerospace, defense, or medical electronics. You'll need hands-on knowledge of SMT equipment, rework and polymerics, DFM/DFX methodology, and process control tools, along with the communication skills to collaborate across production, quality, supply chain, and external suppliers. A bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, or industrial engineering is required; a master's is preferred. Note that this position may require access to export-controlled technical data, so U.S. export-control eligibility is necessary. The role is full-time, in-office in Carson City, Nevada, with a salary range of $150,000–$200,000.
How this employer is doing
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Typical pay for this role
$140,000
Typical range: $120,000 to $140,000
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Pay for this role
$150,000 to $200,000 per year
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