Principal Manufacturing Engineer

Redbock - an NES Fircroft company; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Redbock - an NES Fircroft company in San Diego, CA is seeking a Principal Manufacturing Engineer (Vision Systems) for a 12-month contract with potential for conversion. You will lead the design, validation, and optimization of automated vision inspection systems on manufacturing lines.

Responsibilities include guiding IQ/OQ/PQ, defining system requirements, and collaborating with R&D, Quality, and contract manufacturers to ensure FDA/ISO-compliant production processes.

Qualifications

• Designs manufacturing processes, procedures and production layouts.
• Defines efficient machine arrangements for plant facilities.
• Specifies operation sequences and fabrication procedures.
• Adapts designs to factory and production conditions.
• Ensures regulatory compliance in processes and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Designs processes and layouts for assemblies and equipment.
• Arranges machines for efficient and productive layouts.
• Specifies operation sequences and fabrication procedures.
• Adapts designs to factory conditions; approves tooling changes.
• Inspects performance and initiates corrective actions to ensure quality.
• Develops processes applicable to SPC and quality improvements.

Skills

Vision Systems

IQ/OQ/PQ

Optical Measurement

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

SolidWorks

SAP

Minitab

Microsoft Office

MES

Job description

Principal Manufacturing Engineer (Vision Systems) (12 month contract, with potential for conversion // San Diego, CA):

Top Required Skills:

• Machine Vision Systems Expertise – Hands‑on experience designing, implementing, developing, and optimizing automated vision inspection systems within manufacturing environments.
• Vision System Validation & Qualification – Leading IQ/OQ/PQ, process qualification, and validation of vision inspection systems in FDA- and ISO-regulated medical device manufacturing.
• Optical Measurement & Inspection Requirements – Defining system requirements, acceptance criteria, performance metrics, and inspection capabilities, with familiarity in GD&T and optical measurement principles.
• Troubleshooting & Manufacturing Process Optimization – Resolving complex vision system failures through root cause analysis and corrective actions while improving inspection capability, yield, throughput, and process efficiency.

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

Target Years of Experience: 7 years of relevant experience, or advanced degree with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience.

Duties:

• Designs manufacturing processes, procedures and production layouts for assemblies, equipment installation, processing, machining, and material handling.
• Designs arrangement of machines within plant facilities to ensure most efficient and productive layout.
• Designs sequence of operations and specifies procedures for the fabrication of tools and equipment and other functions that affect product performance.
• Adapts machine or equipment design to factory and production conditions.
• May incorporate inspection and test requirements into the production plan.
• Inspects performance of machinery, equipment, and tools to verify their efficiency, and investigates and initiates corrective action of problems and deficiencies to ensure product quality.
• Develops manufacturing processes that are applicable to statistical process control and may develop those techniques.
• Provides guidance to engineering regarding design concepts and specification requirements to best utilize equipment and manufacturing techniques.
• Ensures processes and procedures are following regulations.

Required Skills:

• Vision Systems Expertise:
• Serve as the primary technical expert for vision system design, implementation, validation, and optimization across manufacturing lines
• Lead the process development, qualification, and validation of vision inspection systems (IQ/OQ/PQ) in compliance with FDA and ISO regulations
• Define vision system requirements, acceptance criteria, and performance metrics in collaboration with R&D, Quality, and Contract Manufacturing partners
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex vision system failures, driving root cause analysis and implementing sustainable corrective actions
• Evaluate and recommend new vision system technologies to improve inspection capability, yield, and throughput
• Familiarity with GD&T and optical measurement principles

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) integration with vision systems
• Experience supporting Contract Manufacturers in a medical device environment
• Knowledge of machine learning or AI-based vision inspection technologies
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Microsoft Office, Minitab, Document Management Systems, MES, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, SAP