Summary: The Ceramics Engineering Manager will play a critical role in the design, development, and manufacturing of advanced ceramic materials and components used in commercial and aerospace & defense electronics applications. This position leads new product introduction, process development and control, and continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring compliance with rigorous quality, reliability, and regulatory standards. As a technical subject matter expert, the Ceramics Engineering Manager will drive material innovation, optimize production processes, and collaborate across engineering, quality, and operations teams to deliver best-in-class electronic components to customers worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Provides direction and manages the design, development and support of electrical ceramic devices by planning, organizing and controlling engineering projects and activities.
• Lead the design, formulation, and processing of ceramic materials and associated metal systems for high-reliability electronic components.
• Lead development and optimization of ceramic manufacturing processes and equipment, including powder processing, forming, sintering, coating, and finishing.
• Partners and interfaces with other product design engineering groups to align material properties with electronic component performance requirements.
• Devise, implement and lead value engineering, quality improvement projects as well as application of Root Cause & Corrective Action (RCCA) methodologies to improve throughput, process repeatability, yields, quality and reliability.
• Support certification, qualification, and customer audit requirements for aerospace & defense programs.
• Author and maintain technical documentation, including specifications, process instructions, and validation reports.
• Leads collaboration cross-functionally with Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and Engineering to ensure manufacturability and compliance.
• Monitors product to established quality levels and adjusts designs and processes to meet or exceed STDs of timely completion, manufacturability, cost targets and technical performance. 
• Evaluate and recommend new material, design, process technologies and equipment.
• Evaluate and approve raw material suppliers, ensuring compliance with company and industry standards.
• Provide technical support during customer reviews, regulatory audits, and program milestones.
• Staff, supervise, mentor, develop engineering personnel and technicians in ceramic design and process best practices with feedback and coaching.
• Stay current with advancements in ceramic materials and electronic component technology.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Ceramics Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or related field (Master’s desired).
• 5+ years of experience in ceramics engineering, with a focus on electronic components, aerospace, or defense applications.
• Strong background in ceramic chemistry, powder processing, and high-temperature sintering.
• Experience with RCCA, Lean Manufacturing, and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Familiarity with aerospace & defense quality systems, standards, and certification requirements (e.g., AS9100, MIL-SPEC).
• Proven track record of process development, scale-up, and qualification in a manufacturing environment.

Skills & Competencies

• Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge of ceramic materials science, electronic component design, and advanced manufacturing processes.
• Analytical Skills: Proficient in root cause analysis, statistical process control, and data-driven decision-making.
• Adaptability: Able to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment.
• Attention to Detail: Strong commitment to accuracy and compliance with specifications.
• Organization: Skilled at planning, documenting, and executing technical projects.

Work Environment

• This position is located on-site in a manufacturing facility.