Production Engineer - Electrical

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc.

$80K — $95K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Robotics, or related field)
  • Understanding of manufacturing or automation systems via coursework or experience.
  • Working knowledge of LabVIEW and one programming language (e.g., Python, C/C++, Java, VBA)
  • Hands-on exposure to equipment or production environments through internships or projects.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for troubleshooting and root cause analysis.
  • Effective teamwork, communication, and organizational capabilities to manage multiple projects.
  • Encouragement for candidates with an interest in manufacturing and automation, even without all requirements.

Responsibilities

  • Lead process improvements by implementing automation solutions for efficiency and safety
  • Support qualification of new equipment and production lines including FAT, SAT, and PVT
  • Identify and analyze common failures in production lines and execute root cause analysis
  • Develop and track qualification reports and performance metrics for equipment health
  • Troubleshoot and recover production and automation equipment during development and ramp-up
  • Monitor automation data for opportunities in performance and yield optimization
  • Develop software and hardware solutions for improving throughput and yield, utilizing tools like LabVIEW, SQL, and Python.

Benefits

  • Flexible health plans (medical, dental, vision) for employee and family needs
  • Employer matching on 401(k) contributions
  • Generous PTO policy with unused PTO payout
  • Relocation package available within the US
  • Immigration sponsorship available for qualified candidates
Full Job Description
Summary

We are seeking a Production Engineer • Electrical to support and improve manufacturing operations through automation, equipment qualification, and data-driven problem solving. In this role, you will be responsible for developing, validating, and supporting automated equipment and production lines to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable manufacturing performance.

Job Duties

  • Lead production process improvements by identifying and implementing automation-based solutions that improve efficiency, reduce operating costs, and enhance safety, in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
  • Lead and support qualification of new equipment, tools, and production lines, including Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and Production Verification Testing (PVT), ensuring readiness for volume manufacturing.
  • Interface directly with production lines to identify common failure modes, design and execute experiments or tests, and perform root cause analysis (RCA) to isolate failures and implement effective corrective and preventive actions.
  • Develop, maintain, and analyze issue logs, qualification reports, and performance metrics to track equipment health, yield impact, and process stability.
  • Actively support production by running, troubleshooting, and recovering equipment and automation stations during development, qualification, and early production ramp.
  • Monitor and analyze data from automation systems to identify opportunities for performance optimization, yield improvement, and downtime reduction.
  • Develop required software and hardware solutions to validate unit-under-test requirements and improve throughput and yield, including use of LabVIEW, SQL, Python, PLC development, and advanced analytics or machine-learning-based tools as needed.
  • 5• 10% international travel is expected for this position.
  • Other duties as needed or required.

Qualifications
  • Required:
    • Bachelor's degree in an Engineering discipline (Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Robotics, or related field).
  • Fundamental understanding of manufacturing or automation systems, gained through coursework, internships, co-ops, or professional experience.
  • Working knowledge of LabVIEW and/or at least one programming or scripting language (e.g., Python, C/C++, Java, or VBA).
  • Hands-on exposure to equipment, test systems, or production environments through academic projects, internships, or entry-level engineering roles.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to support troubleshooting and root cause analysis under guidance.
  • Strong teamwork, communication, and organizational skills to support multiple tasks and projects in a production environment
  • Candidates with strong fundamentals and interest in manufacturing, automation, and production environments are encouraged to apply, even if they do not meet every listed requirement.
  • Preferred:
    • Master's degree in Engineering.
    • Experience in a manufacturing, automation, equipment engineering, or production engineering environment.
    • Exposure to equipment or process qualification activities (e.g., FAT, SAT, PVT, NPI), either academically or professionally.
    • Experience with programmable logic controllers (PLCs), basic mechanical design, electrical systems, or circuit-level troubleshooting.
    • Familiarity with data analysis, automation tools, or machine-learning-based techniques applied to manufacturing or test systems.

Location

This position will be on-site based in Sugar Land, Texas.

WHY AOI?

In addition to competitive salary, AOI offers
  • Flexible and competitive health (medical, dental, vision) plans offer the employee with the right options to meet individual and family needs
  • Employer matching on 401(k) deferrals
  • Generous PTO policy, with unused PTO payout at end of the year
  • Relocation package available within US
  • Immigration sponsorships (Must be currently authorized to work in the US)

We do not accept unsolicited proposals from third-party recruiters or agencies. Contacting hiring managers directly may result in disqualification of submissions.

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