NPI & Ferrule Manufacturing Program Lead

National Black MBA Association; United States; Remote; USD 250,000 - 306,000; Full time

Job summary

3M is seeking a Technical Program Manager to drive NPI and sustaining programs from development through mass production. You will lead cross‑functional teams of engineers, guide technical decisions, and ensure contract manufacturers are prepared for hyperscale production at the Maplewood, MN site.

The role requires 7+ years in hardware/optics manufacturing, 5+ years in NPI, and hands‑on root cause analysis experience. Travel up to 25% domestically and internationally may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher completed and verified prior to start.
• 7 years of combined experience in product engineering, process engineering, manufacturing engineering, or technical program management within a hardware/optics manufacturing environment.
• 5 years leading or directly supporting new product introduction (NPI) programs from development through mass production.
• 5 years of hands‑on experience with root cause analysis and corrective action processes (e.g., 8D, DMAIC, fishbone/Ishikawa) in a manufacturing or production environment.
• Three years of experience working directly with contract manufacturers on process qualification, technical issue resolution, or production ramp activities.

Responsibilities

• Technical lead for manufacturing operations at Vendor(s).
• Drive contract manufacturer preparation for pre‑production builds.
• Serve as the primary technical authority and escalation point for ferrule production issues, driving deep root cause analysis and hands‑on problem‑solving.
• Provide technical leadership to cross‑functional teams through NPI and sustaining production phases.
• Own the technical readiness assessment of contract manufacturers for hyperscale volume production.
• Drive technical decision‑making on process design and yield improvement.
• Lead technical deep‑dives and root cause investigations for critical production issues.
• Mentor engineers and guide cross‑functional teams to resolve complex production challenges.
• Collaborate with CM technical teams to troubleshoot issues on-site or remotely.

Skills

NPI programs

Cross-functional leadership

Root cause analysis

DFx awareness

Manufacturing engineering

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher

Tools

Windchill

SAP QM

Minitab

PLM

MES

Job description

3M is seeking a Technical Program Manager to drive NPI and sustaining programs from development through mass production. You will lead cross‑functional teams of engineers, guide technical decisions, and ensure contract manufacturers are prepared for hyperscale production at the Maplewood, MN site.

The role requires 7+ years in hardware/optics manufacturing, 5+ years in NPI, and hands‑on root cause analysis experience. Travel up to 25% domestically and internationally may be required.