Maintenance Engineer - SMT

Ultimate Staffing; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Ultimate Staffing is seeking an SMT Maintenance Engineer in Milpitas to ensure high uptime for SMT, Wave Soldering, and Conformal Coating systems. You will drive maintenance planning, execute repairs, and lead continuous improvement efforts across production teams.

The role requires hands-on experience with electronics manufacturing equipment, strong electrical and controls troubleshooting, and a track record in CM/EMS environments to support manufacturing readiness and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field; equivalent experience considered.
• 7+ years of maintenance engineering experience in electronics manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience with SMT, Wave Soldering, and Conformal Coating equipment.
• Experience troubleshooting electrical, mechanical, and automation-related issues.
• Experience using CMMS for maintenance planning and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Perform preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance on production equipment.
• Troubleshoot and repair mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and control systems.
• Respond quickly to failures to minimize downtime and document maintenance history.
• Support RCAs and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Provide technical support for SMT, Wave Soldering, and Conformal Coating equipment.
• Develop and execute maintenance plans using CMMS and monitor OEE metrics.

Skills

Hands-on maintenance

SMT equipment expertise

Electrical & controls troubleshooting

CMMS experience

Root cause analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline

Job description

We are seeking an SMT Maintenance Engineer to join a client in Milpitas. This is a full-time, direct hire position.

The Maintenance Engineer is responsible for ensuring the reliability, performance, and continuous improvement of manufacturing equipment supporting SMT, Wave Soldering, and Conformal Coating operations. This role partners closely with Production, Process Engineering, Quality, and Manufacturing teams to maximize equipment uptime, improve process stability, and support operational excellence in a high-volume electronics manufacturing environment.

The ideal candidate brings strong hands-on experience maintaining automated electronics manufacturing equipment within a Contract Manufacturing (CM/EMS) environment and possesses expertise in electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, and controls troubleshooting.

Key Responsibilities

Equipment Maintenance & Reliability

• Perform preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities on production equipment.
• Troubleshoot and repair mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and control system issues.
• Respond rapidly to equipment failures and implement solutions that minimize production downtime.
• Conduct routine inspections to identify and address potential equipment failures before they impact operations.
• Maintain detailed maintenance records, work orders, inspection reports, and equipment history documentation.
• Support root cause analysis (RCA) activities and implement sustainable corrective and preventive actions.

Manufacturing Equipment Support

• Provide technical support for SMT, Wave Soldering, and Conformal Coating equipment.
• Ensure equipment is properly configured, calibrated, and maintained to meet manufacturing process requirements.
• Support equipment installations, commissioning activities, upgrades, modifications, and continuous improvement projects.
• Collaborate with operators, technicians, vendors, and engineering teams to optimize equipment performance.
• Identify opportunities for automation, process improvements, and reliability enhancements.

Planning & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and execute scheduled maintenance plans using CMMS systems.
• Monitor equipment performance metrics and drive initiatives to improve uptime and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Manage spare parts inventory and ensure critical components are available to support production requirements.
• Participate in new product introduction (NPI) activities and recommend best practices to ensure manufacturing readiness.
• Ensure all maintenance activities comply with safety regulations, company policies, customer requirements, and quality standards.

Technical Expertise

SMT Equipment

• Pick-and-Place Machines
• Screen Printers
• SPI (Solder Paste Inspection)
• AOI (Automated Optical Inspection)
• Reflow Ovens
• PCB Conveyors and Material Handling Systems

Wave Soldering Equipment

• Solder Pot and Heater Systems
• Wave Pumps and Nozzles
• Flux Application Systems
• Nitrogen Delivery Systems

Conformal Coating Equipment

• Dispensing Systems
• Pumps and Pressure Regulators
• Material Delivery Lines and Filters
• UV Curing Systems
• Coating Head and Nozzle Maintenance

Electrical & Controls

• AC/DC electrical troubleshooting
• Control system diagnostics
• Use of multimeters, clamp meters, and other electrical test equipment
• Interpretation of electrical and mechanical schematics

CMMS & Maintenance Systems

• Preventive Maintenance Scheduling
• Work Order Management
• Equipment History Tracking
• Spare Parts Management
• Downtime Analysis and KPI Reporting
• SOP and Maintenance Procedure Development

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Electronics, Mechatronics, Industrial Technology, or a related technical discipline; equivalent experience will also be considered.
• 7+ years of maintenance engineering experience within the electronics manufacturing industry.
• Strong hands-on experience supporting SMT, Wave Soldering, and Conformal Coating equipment.
• Proven experience troubleshooting electrical, mechanical, and automation-related equipment issues.
• Experience working with CMMS systems for maintenance planning and documentation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting high-volume electronics manufacturing operations.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, TPM, or Reliability-Centered Maintenance methodologies.
• Experience with equipment automation, process optimization, and continuous improvement initiatives.Familiarity with ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 quality management systems.

Critical Requirement

Hands-on experience in a Contract Manufacturing (CM) or Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) environment is required. Candidates without direct CM/EMS manufacturing experience will not be considered.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, or military or veteran status. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local laws, including the California Fair Chance Act, City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, and San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.