NPI & Ferrule Production Technical Lead

3M; Maplewood (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

3M in Maplewood, MN, is seeking a Technical Program Manager for EBO to drive NPI and sustaining programs from development to mass production. You will lead a cross‑functional team of engineers, including Product Engineering, Supplier Quality Engineering, Test Engineering and DFx, to ensure readiness and scalable production.

You will be the primary technical escalation point for ferrule production processes, driving root cause analysis and resolution to keep programs on schedule and quality

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher completed and verified prior to start.
• Seven (7) years of combined experience in product engineering, process engineering, manufacturing engineering, or technical program management within a hardware/optics manufacturing environment.
• Five (5) years of demonstrated experience leading or directly supporting new product introduction (NPI) programs from development through mass production.
• Five (5) years of hands‑on experience with root cause analysis and corrective action processes (e.g., 8D, DMAIC, fishbone/Ishikawa analysis) in a manufacturing or production environment.
• Three (3) years of experience working directly with contract manufacturers (CMs) or external manufacturing partners 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 processes, driving deep root cause analysis and hands‑on problem‑solving to ensure effective, permanent closure.
• Provide technical leadership and direction to a cross‑functional team of engineers throughout new product introduction (NPI) and sustaining production phases.
• Own the technical readiness assessment of contract manufacturers, ensuring processes, tooling, and quality systems are fully capable of supporting hyperscale volume production.
• Drive technical decision‑making on process design, yield improvement, and manufacturability, partnering closely with DFx and process engineering to optimize production outcomes.
• Lead technical deep‑dives and root cause investigations for critical production issues, ensuring corrective and preventive actions are technically sound and sustainable at scale.
• Guide engineering teams in resolving complex, cross‑disciplinary technical challenges spanning product design, process engineering, and manufacturing execution.
• Evaluate new process technologies, equipment, and methods to improve ferrule production quality, throughput, and cost‑efficiency.
• Collaborate with contract manufacturers' technical teams to troubleshoot production issues on‑site or remotely, ensuring rapid and effective resolution.
• Ensure technical solutions align with 3M quality standards, reliability requirements, and applicable regulatory guidelines.
• Communicate technical risks, findings, and recommendations clearly to engineering leadership and cross‑functional stakeholders to support informed decision‑making.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to engineers on the team, fostering strong problem‑solving capability and technical rigor.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Root cause analysis

NPI programs

Technical program management

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Master's degree preferred

Tools

8D

DMAIC

Ishikawa analysis

Job description

3M in Maplewood, MN, is seeking a Technical Program Manager for EBO to drive NPI and sustaining programs from development to mass production. You will lead a cross‑functional team of engineers, including Product Engineering, Supplier Quality Engineering, Test Engineering and DFx, to ensure readiness and scalable production.

You will be the primary technical escalation point for ferrule production processes, driving root cause analysis and resolution to keep programs on schedule and quality