OVERVIEWVeeco's Somerset, NJ facility builds MOCVD (Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition) systems and gas and vapor delivery platforms - equipment that enables the compound semiconductor devices powering AI data centers, 5G/6G networks, electric vehicles, and advanced display technologies. With over $250 million in recent equipment orders and shipments ramping through 2026 into 2027, the production floor is getting busier, and the systems getting more complex. As a Manufacturing Engineer on the Manufacturing Operations team, you will sustain and improve how these systems are built - troubleshooting hardware issues during assembly and test, leading root-cause investigations, writing the work instructions that technicians rely on, and driving the process improvements that make every build more repeatable than the last. This is a floor-first role: you will spend your days working alongside assembly technicians, solving real problems on real hardware in a low-volume, high-complexity environment where each system is configured to meet specific customer requirements.
RESPONSIBILITIES- Troubleshoot and resolve mechanical and electrical hardware issues that arise during assembly, integration, and final test - diagnosing problems on the floor and implementing fixes that hold up in production, not just on the current build.
- Lead root-cause investigations using structured problem-solving methods - including Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA), Fishbone diagrams, and Eight Disciplines (8D) - and implement permanent corrective actions that prevent recurrence in future builds and at customer sites.
- Develop and maintain assembly instructions, work instructions, and technician training materials that are clear enough for a technician to follow accurately the first time - then update them when engineering changes or lessons learned require it.
- Execute engineering changes, deviations, and rework directives in production, assessing the impact on active builds and coordinating implementation with planning and the shop floor to avoid schedule disruption.
- Contribute to manufacturing readiness reviews, design reviews, and tool risk assessments, bringing the production perspective to engineering decisions before designs reach the factory floor - not after.
- Partner with Design Engineering, Quality, Field Service, and Supply Chain to close the loop on factory and field issues, ensuring that problems found during build or at customer sites result in permanent design or process changes rather than repeated workarounds.
- Drive continuous improvement in manufacturability, build repeatability, and product quality, identifying patterns across builds that point to cost reduction, cycle time improvement, or defect elimination opportunities - then implementing changes and measuring results.
QUALIFICATIONS- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in manufacturing engineering, sustaining engineering, or hardware support engineering - preferably in low-volume, high-complexity, or engineer-to-order environments.
- Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex electromechanical hardware on a production floor - not just analyze issues from a desk.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES- Experience sustaining production lines for complex electromechanical systems - including assembly, integration, and test of equipment involving vacuum environments, gas delivery, thermal management, motion systems, or contamination-controlled hardware. Semiconductor capital equipment experience is preferred.
- Able to read and interpret engineering drawings, electrical schematics, 3D models, bills of materials (BOMs), and technical documentation - including Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) - well enough to identify discrepancies and communicate issues to Design Engineering with specificity.
- Proficient in structured problem-solving: you have used DFMEA, 8D, Fishbone analysis, or equivalent methods to investigate production failures and have a track record of implementing corrective actions that stick.
- Familiarity with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems - SAP preferred - for processing engineering changes, managing deviations, and tracking material and production data.
- Experience supporting suppliers or contract manufacturing partners on hardware quality and production issues, including conducting supplier corrective action processes when needed.
- Comfortable working on the production floor alongside technicians during assembly and test, and equally effective presenting root-cause findings and improvement proposals to plant leadership.
- Skilled at creating clear process documentation - including Sequence of Operations, Method Instructions, and training materials - that improves build consistency and reduces technician dependency on tribal knowledge.
SALARY AND BENEFITSThe expected salary range for this position is $93,000 - $119,000, plus a bonus opportunity. We will consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors when determining your pay.
Other benefits include:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
- 401(k) with Company Match
- Holiday, Vacation, and Sick Time
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- Commuter Benefits
- Life and Accident Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Identity Theft Remediation
- Emergency Travel Assistance
