Production Chief Engineer
Company:
The Boeing Company
The Boeing Company is currently seeking a motivated Production Chief Engineer support our AvionX team located in Smithfield, PA. This position will focus on supporting the Enterprise Test & Technology (ET&T). In this role you will lead production readiness, testability, and manufacturability for avionics and electronics at our new Smithfield Production & Test facility. You will support AvionX across BDS, BCA, and BGS, influence design and supply chain decisions, and accelerate time-to-market for next generation avionics.
Our team develops and produces avionics and electronics systems designed for use on aircraft and other platforms for purposes such as navigation, flight controls, information systems, and other core avionics functions. We have set our sights high to design, develop, and manufacture the most technically advanced and reliable avionic components in the world. We are innovating and developing new products to address the future of the urban air mobility as well as our next generation of commercial, tactical, and trainer aircraft markets, weapons and others.
This role will be highly visible across AvionX and the broader Boeing enterprise, offering opportunity to influence architecture decisions, supply chain strategies, and next-generation manufacturing automation to accelerate time-to-market for critical avionics systems
Who You Are
In this role you will lead the research, development, evaluation and integration of robotics, automation, and new technologies. Including, processes related to equipment and tooling for applicability to programs and products.
You are a senior electronics focused Production Chief Engineer who combines deep circuit and systems level expertise with hands on manufacturing and test experience to make complex avionics designs producible, testable, reliable and safe. Are engaged with electronic Design Engineering teams and influence decisions early, translate engineering intent into repeatable factory processes, and own the technical interface between Design, Manufacturing, Test and Quality across program lifecycles. Proactively able to remove barriers to production readiness, champion Design for Manufacturing and Test (DFM/DFT) principles, and turn lessons learned into practical changes that reduce cost, risk, and schedule exposure.
Position Responsibilities:
Review work products and provide Manufacturing and Quality input to design and test artifacts, including schematics, PCB/CCA drawings, parts lists, test plans/procedures, process templates, and coordination/decision memos. You ensure documentation aligns with producibility, testability, and program requirements
Drive New Product Introductions (NPI) readiness and DFM/DFT (Design for Manufacturing & Test), resolve product and process issues through root cause and corrective actions, and mentor teams while embedding Safety, Quality, and Lean improvements across programs.
Applies knowledge of Boeing design principles for manufacturing capabilities and constraints to assess and resolve product or process issues throughout the product lifecycle.
Provides technical leadership and mentoring to all levels AvionX organization
Create mitigation plans for identified risks to Safety, Quality, Manufacturing Processes, Test, and program schedule and drive cross functional closure for full product lifecycle
Develop, deliver, and maintain technical training, Site Level Instructions (SLIs), and equipment demos
Mentor engineers, interns, co‑ops, and rotational participants to raise team capability in PCB/CCA manufacturability, test techniques, and troubleshooting best practices
Lead and participate in cross functional scrums, ad hoc technical meetings, governance and decision boards and Lean innovation activities. You facilitate timely decisions, continuous improvement, and alignment between Design, Manufacturing, Test, Quality, and Supply Chain
Create and maintain AvionX level technical artifacts such as site drawings, assembly/process flows, test fixture specifications, and process templates that enable consistent, repeatable builds across sites and suppliers
You will be accountable for establishing production readiness gates and go/no-go criteria, defining key production KPIs, and delivering measurable outcomes for ramp rate, yield, and first-pass test success
You will influence supplier design-for-manufacturing strategies and ensure downstream testability and maintainability are engineered into products from day one
Drive cost reduction and throughput improvement initiatives through participation in readiness reviews, continuous improvement events, and implementation of automation or tooling where it provides measurable value to quality, safety, or program schedule
Travel to suppliers and other Boeing sites as required to support ramp and sustainment activities, supplier audits, and cross-site knowledge transfer
Basic Qualifications (Required Skills/ Experience):
Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited course of study in engineering, engineering technology (includes manufacturing engineering technology), chemistry, physics, mathematics, data science, or computer science
To meet U.S. export control compliance requirements, a “U.S. Person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. §120.62 is required. “U.S. Person” includes U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee
15+ years of experience with Electronics Product Design
10+ years of experience with electrical schematics to design and troubleshoot test architectures consisting of FPGAs, custom PCBs, benchtop equipment, and the microelectronics unit-under-test
10+ years of experience working directly with manufacturing engineering, design engineering, and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tools
Preferred Qualifications (Desired Skills/Experience):
Ability to travel quarterly or more if needed
Extensive experience (preferably in avionics) as a technical lead or chief engineer overseeing tooling, calibration, and manufacturing engineering activities
Demonstrated track record leading complex cross-functional engineering projects, resolving technical risks, and delivering solutions on schedule
Strong mentorship and people leadership skills, including developing technical talent, providing engineering guidance, and aligning teams to program requirements
The ability to maintain and manage significant authority to autonomously represent Manufacturing & Quality to make technical decisions for integrated product teams across multiple programs
Experience driving supplier readiness and partner closely with procurement and supplier engineering to ensure supplier process capability, supplier test standards, and mitigation plans are in place prior to production release
Travel:
25%
Drug Free Workplace:
Boeing is a Drug Free Workplace (DFW) where post offer applicants and employees are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies.
Conflict of Interest:
Successful candidates for this job must satisfy the Company's Conflict of Interest (COI) assessment process.
CodeVue Coding Challenge:
To be considered for this position you will be required to complete a technical assessment as part of the selection process. Failure to complete the assessment will remove you from consideration.
Pay & Benefits:
At Boeing, we strive to deliver a Total Rewards package that will attract, engage and retain the top talent. Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.
The Boeing Company also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work.
The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.
Pay is based upon candidate experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.
Summary Pay Range for Chief Engineer level (Level 5): $165,000-$224,250
Language Requirements:
Not Applicable
Education:
Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent
Relocation:
This position offers relocation based on candidate eligibility.
Export Control Requirement:
This position must meet U.S. export control compliance requirements. To meet U.S. export control compliance requirements, a “U.S. Person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. §120.62 is required. “U.S. Person” includes U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee.
Safety Sensitive:
This is not a Safety Sensitive Position.
Security Clearance:
This position does not require a Security Clearance.
Visa Sponsorship:
Employer will not sponsor applicants for employment visa status.
Contingent Upon Award Program
This position is not contingent upon program award
Shift:
Shift 1 (United States of America)
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