Process Engineering Technician

Advancedphotonix; Chino (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Tuition assistance

Professional development

401(k) with employer match

Job summary

Luna Innovations in Chino, CA is seeking a Process Engineering Technician to join our manufacturing operations building and validating optical components, test & measurement instruments, and terahertz systems that customers around the world depend on. You’ll design and optimize production fixtures, maintain calibration, and support cross-functional teams to ensure repeatable, high-quality builds.

You’ll train operators, document processes, and contribute to NPIs from prototype to volume

Qualifications

• Associate degree or technical certification in a manufacturing- or electronics-related field, or equivalent.
• 2–5 years in manufacturing or process engineering, preferably optics or photonics.
• Ability to read drawings, schematics, GD&T, and optical specs.
• Hands-on optical/mechanical assembly and system integration experience.
• Experience creating and maintaining work instructions, process travelers, and diagrams.

Responsibilities

• Design and build production fixtures; create/update drawings, assembly instructions, and logs.
• Maintain calibration schedules; audit logs and certificates; ensure traceability.
• Perform equipment maintenance and TPM activities; train operators on new processes.
• Implement process improvements using SPC, DOE, 8D, DMAIC methodologies.
• Evaluate and qualify new manufacturing equipment, tooling, and fixtures.
• Provide day-to-day technical support to operators; troubleshoot issues on the line.
• Support failure analysis and root cause investigations with quality and engineering.
• Train and mentor operators to ensure consistent cross-shift execution.

Skills

Reading engineering drawings

Optical/electro-optical assembly

Documentation & SOP writing

Cross-functional communication

MS Office & ERP/MRP usage

Education

Associate’s degree or technical certification in Manufacturing Technology or Electronics Technology

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Luna Innovations Incorporated (Luna) is hiring a Process Engineering Technician to join our team in Chino, California. You’ll be an integral part of the hands‑on technical backbone of our manufacturing operations—developing, documenting, and optimizing the processes and fixtures used to build optical components, optical test & measurement instruments, and terahertz measurement systems that customers around the world depend on.

The photonics industry is in the middle of a historic growth cycle. As AI datacenters scale, silicon photonics matures, and next‑generation optical networks come online, demand for Luna’s precision‑engineered products is accelerating. As part of our process engineering team, you will help make sure we can meet that demand consistently, repeatably, and at the quality levels our customers expect.

Why This Role Matters

Every Luna product that ships—whether it’s a fiber optic sensing system, a high‑speed transceiver test platform, or a terahertz imaging system—was built using a process that someone on this team designed, validated, and documented. You’ll work directly with manufacturing, quality, and product engineering to ensure robust, repeatable build processes that result in a high‑quality final product. When a process fails or a yield problem emerges, you’ll be at the center of the investigation. When a new product needs to move from prototype to production, you’ll be part of the team that will make that transition happen. Your fingerprints are on every unit we ship.

What You’ll Do

Process Development & Optimization

• Work with Process Engineers to design and build production fixtures, creating or updating fixture drawings, assembly instructions, maintenance instructions/logs, or other documentation as necessary.
• Maintain proper equipment and fixture calibration schedules, scheduling external calibration, performing in‑house calibration where applicable, auditing equipment calibration logs, and updating calibration log files and certificates.
• Perform equipment and fixture maintenance, monitoring and auditing Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) schedules, training the production team as necessary on new TPM activities and processes.
• Identify and take part in the implementation of process improvements that reduce cycle time, improve yield, or reduce scrap and rework, using data‑driven methodologies (SPC, DOE, 8D, DMAIC, etc.).
• Assist with the evaluation, selection, and qualification of new manufacturing equipment, tooling, and fixtures in support of process improvements and new product introductions.

Manufacturing & Technical Support

• Provide day‑to‑day technical support to production operators, answering process questions, troubleshooting assembly issues, and resolving nonconformances at the point of occurrence.
• Perform hands‑on assembly and testing of optical and electro‑optical systems as needed to validate processes, support engineering builds, or resolve production issues.
• Support failure analysis and root cause investigations for field returns, in‑process escapes, and yield excursions—working cross‑functionally with quality and product engineering.
• Assist in the assembly, setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting of specialized manufacturing and test equipment and fixtures.
• Train and mentor production operators on new and revised processes, ensuring consistent execution across shifts and operators.

Documentation & Compliance

• Work with the Technical Writing team to develop, document, and assist with maintaining accurate manufacturing process documentation, such as work instructions, travelers, test workbooks, and process flow diagrams for all production assemblies and subassemblies.
• Participate in auditing, training, and maintaining relevant processes in the company’s quality management system (QMS), ensuring all processes and supporting documentation are current, accurate, and audit ready.
• Maintain process traveler templates and assembly record systems, ensuring full traceability of build configurations and process parameters for each unit produced.

What You Bring

Required

• Associate’s degree or technical certification in Manufacturing Technology, Electronics Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, or a related field—or equivalent combination of education and hands‑on experience.
• 2–5 years of experience in a manufacturing or process engineering environment, preferably in optics, photonics, electronics, and/or precision instrumentation.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, schematics, GD&T, and optical specifications.
• Hands‑on experience with optical assembly, precision mechanical assembly, or electro‑optical system integration.
• Experience writing or maintaining manufacturing work instructions, assembly procedures, process flow diagrams, process travelers, and other necessary process documentation.
• Strong documentation skills and attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to work cross‑functionally across engineering, quality, and production teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ERP/MRP systems for documenting process changes and tracking materials.

Preferred (Bonus Points)

• Experience with optical alignment, fiber optic assembly, lens assembly, or photonic subassembly manufacturing.
• Familiarity with quality management system requirements (ISO 9001) and process documentation standards.
• Working knowledge of process improvement tools and problem‑solving techniques (SPC, FMEA, root cause analysis, 5‑Why, fishbone diagrams).
• Hands‑on experience operating, maintaining, and calibrating precision measurement or test equipment.
• Exposure to cleanroom protocols, ESD‑controlled environments, or environmentally sensitive manufacturing.
• Experience supporting NPI transitions from engineering prototype to volume production.

Why Luna

Luna Innovations isn’t just another tech company, we’re a team of scientists, engineers, and problem‑solvers working at the frontier of photonics. Our optical test and measurement platforms and terahertz systems help customers validate the transceivers, photonic integrated circuits, and network components that underpin the explosive growth of AI datacenters and high‑speed optical communications. The photonics industry is experiencing a historic growth moment, and Luna is leading the way.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Competitive compensation & benefits: comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus a company-sponsored 401(k) with employer match.
• Invest in your growth: tuition assistance, professional development funding, and support for industry certifications and technical training.
• Work that matters: every process you develop and optimize supports products used by the companies building the backbone of global optical communications.
• Innovation‑driven culture: join a team where process engineering is valued as a strategic capability, not just a support function.
• Southern California location: Chino, CA puts you in the heart of the Inland Empire with easy access to Los Angeles, Orange County, and some of the best weather in the country.

Luna Innovations is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.