Principal Manufacturing Engineer (PCBA)

Frontdoor Defense; Redondo Beach (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical, vision & dental coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

Impulse Space in Redondo Beach, CA is seeking a Principal Manufacturing Engineer (PCBA) to lead PCBAs for spaceflight hardware, bridging design and manufacturing to ensure manufacturability, testability and reliability. You will own PCBA specifications and drive qualification of manufacturing processes across SMT, rework, conformal coating, staking and inspection.

As the subject-matter expert, you will collaborate with design engineers, guide process improvements, support environmental testing

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering field related to PCBA manufacturing.
• 10+ years of manufacturing experience with PCBAs (SMT, coating, underfill).
• 10+ years of PCBA inspection experience (X-ray/CT, flying probe, AOI).
• Deep understanding of PCB materials and PCBA manufacturing processes.
• Strong hands-on knowledge of soldering and rework techniques.
• Experience with soldering physics, fluxes, alloys and defects.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership as PCBA SME across the company.
• Develop, qualify and optimize PCBA manufacturing processes (SMT, rework, coating).
• Develop PCBA assembly processes (hand soldering, wave, reflow, selective soldering).
• Apply soldering physics and thermal profiling to process improvements.
• Lead PCBA rework, repair, and acceptance criteria documentation.
• Oversee environmental testing of PCBAs (vibration, thermal cycling, thermal vacuum).
• Collaborate with design engineers on DFM/DFA and manufacturability reviews.
• Troubleshoot production issues and drive corrective actions for non-conformances.
• Own company specifications on PCBAs and stay current with industry trends.

Skills

PCBA manufacturing

PCBA inspection

Hand soldering

Wave soldering

Reflow soldering

AOI

Education

Bachelors in Materials/Physics/Chemistry/Electrical Eng

MS/PhD in Materials/Physics/Chemistry/Electrical Eng

Tools

X-ray/CT inspection

Flying probe tester

AOI systems

Soldering equipment

Job description

Principal Manufacturing Engineer (PCBA)

Develop and qualify reliable PCBA manufacturing processes for spaceflight hardware

Location: Redondo Beach, California

Compensation: $200,000 - 230,000 USD / year

About The Role

Principal Manufacturing Engineer (PCBA)

As a Principal Manufacturing Engineer (PCBA) at Impulse, you will be the recognized expert on printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) and will provide deep technical expertise on PCBA technology for spaceflight. You will bridge the gap between Design and Manufacturing, ensuring our designs are fully optimized for manufacturability, testability and reliability.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across the company as the subject matter expert on PCBAs, including manufacturing process, materials, design for manufacturability, environmental testing and qualification, etc.
• Develop, qualify and optimize manufacturing processes for PCBAs, including solder rework, SMT, conformal coating, staking, underfill and inspection
• Develop, characterize, and optimize PCBA assembly processes, including: hand soldering/solder rework, wave soldering, reflow soldering, selective soldering
• Apply an understanding of soldering physics, including heat transfer and thermal profiles, wetting, spreading, surface tension, and intermetallic formation
• Serve as a subject-matter resource for PCBA rework and repair, including component removal and replacement, pad repair, solder-joint rework, localized thermal processes, damage prevention, cleaning and inspection, rework documentation and acceptance criteria
• Provide technical expertise on environmental testing of PCBAs, including vibration, thermal cycling and thermal vacuum
• Collaborate with design engineers to ensure manufacturability, testability, reliability, drawing review and DFM/DFA of PCBAs
• Serve as technical expert on troubleshooting production issues, identifying root causes, and driving implementation of corrective actions for non-conformances
• Own company specifications on PCBAs
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in PCBA manufacturing to drive innovation and implementation of lead-edge technology

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors' degree in Materials Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 10+ years of demonstrated manufacturing experience with PCBAs, including SMT, conformal coating, staking, underfill
• 10+ years of demonstrated inspection experience with PCBAs, X-ray/CT, flying probe and AOI
• Deep understanding of materials used in PCBs and PCBA manufacturing
• Strong practical knowledge of hand soldering, wave soldering, reflow, selective soldering, component attachment, and terminal soldering
• Experience with soldering physics, fluxes, solder alloys, surface finishes, thermal profiles, solderability, and common soldering defects

Preferred Skills and Experience

• 15+ years of demonstrated manufacturing and inspection experience related PCBAs
• M.S. or Ph.D. in Materials Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• Experience with PCB and PCBA manufacturing for space applications
• In-depth understanding of PCBA functional testing, software testing and environmental testing
• Experience automated optical inspection (AOI), and X-ray/CT inspection of PCBAs

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long‑term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan. Impulse Space's spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. Learn more about the ITAR here. Impulse Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Impulse Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.