Process Engineering Manager - AFIP / Flex Manufacturing

Full Time + Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k with Company Match, PTO)

Job Type: On-site | 25% Travel
Salary Range: $145,000 - $190,000 DOE
Location: Milpitas, CA

Job Scope:

This role supports Fralock's Advanced Flexible Interconnect Products (AFIP) business in Milpitas, focused on flex and rigid-flex circuit manufacturing and associated processes. Products are manufactured to customer specifications and frequently require strong interpretation of manufacturing drawings, stack-ups, plating requirements, QA standards, and IPC/UL requirements.

The Process Engineering Manager plays a key role in ensuring these customer requirements are translated into robust, well-controlled, and executable manufacturing processes.

Role Summary

The Process Engineering Manager provides technical leadership and people management for process engineering activities supporting high-mix, high-reliability flex and rigid-flex manufacturing. The role is responsible for process development, optimization, qualification, and sustainment, while leading and developing a team of process engineers.

This position requires strong engagement with manufacturing operations. The Process Engineering Manager is expected to maintain close connection to factory execution, enabling effective troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and timely resolution of process issues, while also driving longer-term process discipline, capability development, and continuous improvement.

Process Engineering Leadership

• Lead and develop process engineering capability supporting flex and rigid-flex manufacturing
• Establish clear priorities, accountability, and execution standards across the process engineering team
• Serve as a technical escalation point for complex processes, yield, or manufacturability challenges

AFIP Flex / Rigid-Flex Unit Process Ownership

• Own and improve key unit processes and process windows typical of flex and rigid-flex manufacturing (e.g., imaging/patterning, plating, lamination/press operations, drilling/routing, and related steps)
• Develop, standardize, and sustain process controls to improve yield, cycle time, repeatability, and robustness
• Partner with Manufacturing and Production Control to support schedule adherence and improve time-to-release and on-time engineering release

Process Development, Qualification & Transfer

• Develop and release new manufacturing processes and tooling, supporting implementation on the factory floor
• Lead process transfer to Manufacturing through defined gates, including process limits, specifications, control plans, work instructions, and training
• Support NPI readiness by translating customer requirements into clear, executable process flows and travelers

Manufacturability, Quoting & Risk Assessment

• Partner with Operations and Product Management to assess manufacturability and feasibility of customer specifications and manufacturing notes (stack-ups, plating, tolerancing, IPC/UL requirements)
• Provide process input into quoting activities by identifying constraints, cycle-time drivers, and technical risk areas; recommend process alternatives and mitigations

Operational Support & Problem Resolution

• Collaborate closely with Operations and Quality to address yield loss, scrap, rework, downtime, and process instability
• Lead structured problem-solving efforts, including root cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions, and verify effectiveness
• Use data-driven methods such as SPC (where applicable), Pareto analysis, and structured RCA tools

Continuous Improvement, Equipment & Capacity

• Identify and lead continuous improvement initiatives that reduce lead time and internal manufacturing cost while protecting quality
• Evaluate process and equipment upgrades, capacity needs, and technology investments; provide ROI analyses and executive-ready summaries
• Support facility and process capability development aligned to AFIP growth and technology roadmap

People Leadership

• Hire, coach, and develop process engineering talent
• Build technical depth and consistency across the team while ensuring improvements are scalable and sustainable

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (Manufacturing, Industrial, Mechanical, Materials, Chemical, or related discipline)
• 5+ years of experience in process or manufacturing engineering within a high-reliability manufacturing environment
• 3+ years of experience leading engineering teams in a manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated success improving and sustaining manufacturing processes in close partnership with operations
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience leading root cause analysis and corrective actions
• Experience creating and maintaining work instructions, processing documentation, and training materials
• Strong cross-functional leadership and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications (AFIP / Flex Context)

• Experience in flex or rigid-flex PCB manufacturing, high-reliability electronics, or Semiconductor OEM supply-chain environments
• Knowledge of IPC standards and customer-driven requirements (e.g., FAIR, special testing requirements)
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, JIT, Kanban; Six Sigma and/or Design of Experiments (DOE) preferred
• Experience working in ISO 9001, AS9100, or ISO 13485 environments
• Comfort interpreting requirements and manufacturing notes for build readiness

All offers of employment at Fralock are contingent upon clear results of a background check. Background checks may include some or all the following depending on job title and responsibilities:

• Social Security Verification
• Prior Employment Verification
• Criminal History
• Personal and Professional References
• Motor Vehicle Records (only if applicable for the position)
• Credit History (only if applicable for the position)

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of a position.