Manufacturing Engineer, PCBA Rio Rancho, NM LA Manufacturing – Avionics

Castelion Corporation; Rio Rancho (NM); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Castelion is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to drive development and implementation of PCBA manufacturing processes for in-house and supplier SMT assembly, board bring-up, validation, and qualification as designs transition from prototype to scalable production for next-generation defense systems.

The role emphasizes establishing in-house PCBA capability, qualifying a end-to-end supply chain, and delivering all PCBA hardware on-time with quality checks to detect defects early.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, or related engineering field.
• 3+ years of electronics manufacturing engineering experience focusing on PCBA and SMT processes.
• Hands-on experience developing production PCBA processes and test.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills; ability to work in ITAR environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain PCBA assembly and test procedures, BOM/MBOM, tooling specs, and process flows.
• Collaborate with supply chain to qualify vendor lines and establish process capability.
• Support transition from prototype to production with DFM/DFT focus and supplier handoff.
• Develop functional/environmental test plans and data analysis for PCBA.
• Drive continuous improvement to yield, throughput, and cost using Lean.

Skills

PCBA

SMT processes

DFM/DFT

Test & validation

Lean / CI

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, manufacturing or related engineering

Tools

HALT/HASS

Fixture/tooling development

Job description

Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus, ownership, and excellence are decisive advantages - and we're building a world-class team to turn bold ideas into real capability.

This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, where you'll have significant ownership, collaborate with exceptional teammates, and make a direct, measurable impact on our mission and the future of the company - regardless of your function.

Manufacturing Engineer, PCBA

Castelion is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to drive the development and implementation of manufacturing processes for printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA) and complex electronics hardware. This role will support both in-house and supplier SMT assembly, board bring-up, validation, and qualification as we transition designs from prototype to scalable production in support of next-generation defense systems.

Key Outcomes for 2026

• Establish In House PCBA Capability– define, document, and implement procedures, work instructions, tooling, and process flows for bringing up prototype boards, performing repair/rework, and executing validation tests.
• Establish & Qualify a Supply Chain for Prototype and Production PCBA– identify, evaluate, and onboard supplier partners for PCBA services that align with product complexity, lead time needs, and quality/risk requirements. Define supplier qualification criteria (capability matrices, certifications, workmanship standards, test coverage, inspection tools) and establish supplier audits, capability studies, and baseline process validations.
• Deliver All PCBA Hardware On-Time with Zero Defects– drive, track and report build execution for all avionics PCBA hardware to meet development, test, and qualification milestones. Establish and enforce key quality checkpoints to detect and resolve defects before delivery to integration

Responsibilities

• Assembly & Test Procedure– create and maintain work instructions, bill of materials (BOM/MBOM), assembly and test procedures, fixture/tooling spec sheets, and process flows for production and prototype builds.
• Supplier Development & Support– partner with supply chain to establish process capability, define quality/test criteria, and qualify vendor lines for production builds.
• Prototype to Production Transition– support design reviews with focus on design for manufacturability (DFM), design for test (DFT), and supplier handoff readiness.
  Facilitate risk analysis and manufacturing readiness reviews (MRRs).
• Testing & Validation– develop functional and environmental test plans for PCBA, including test fixture development, automated test systems including HALT/HASS, and test data analysis.
• Continuous Improvement & Metrics– drive yield improvement, throughput gains, defect reduction, and cost optimization through Lean and CI methodologies.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, or related Engineering discipline.
• 3+ years of experience in electronics manufacturing engineering with emphasis on PCBA, SMT processes, board test, and validation.
• Hands-on experience developing production processes for PCB assembly and test.
• Strong problem-solving skills and electrophysical troubleshooting ability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. and comply with ITAR eligibility requirements.

Castelion offers a generous benefits package. Please refer to the bottom of our Careers page for more details.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Additional Eligibility Requirements

This position may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information, as determined by the Company and/or applicable U.S. Government requirements. If the position is so designated, your employment in the role may be contingent upon your ability to obtain and maintain the required U.S. Government security clearance or other government authorization, and to satisfy any citizenship or other eligibility requirements imposed by applicable law, regulation, executive order, or government contract requirements. You will be notified if and when such requirements apply.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

Castelion is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Castelion is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and hiring process. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, participate in the interview process, or otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact [e-mail]. Requests for accommodation will be considered on an individual basis and handled in accordance with applicable law.

Castelion is committed to fostering a workplace where employment decisions are based on qualifications, business needs, and the ability to perform the essential functions of the role, with or without reasonable accommodation.

This position requires access to export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.