Senior Industrial Engineer–AI Server RMA (Field Repair) Operation

Foxconn Industrial Internet - FII; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Foxconn Industrial Internet - FII in Houston is seeking a Senior Industrial Engineer to optimize end-to-end RMA and field-repair operations. You will drive data-driven improvements in throughput, TAT, and labor productivity while ensuring safety and traceability across the repair lifecycle.

The role involves Lean, capacity modeling, line/cell balancing, and cross-functional collaboration with Operations, Quality, IT/MES, and EHS to scale processes and reduce waste.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Typically, 5+ years of relevant industrial/manufacturing engineering experience, including ownership of complex production or repair processes.
• Demonstrated experience with: Time studies and labor standards; Capacity and manpower modeling; Line/cell balancing; Factory/workstation layout; Standardized work; Lean manufacturing; Root-cause analysis; Continuous improvement.
• Strong data-analysis capability using Microsoft Excel and similar analytical/reporting tools.
• Experience cross-functionally with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Test, Materials, Planning, IT/MES, and EHS.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced environment with changing volume, priorities, and technical requirements.
• Strong written, verbal, analytical, and technical presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, optimize, and maintain end-to-end RMA workflows from receiving through diagnosis, repair, testing, and shipment.
• Establish standard repair routes for common server and liquid-cooling failure modes.
• Identify bottlenecks, queue time, rework loops, and non-value-added activities.
• Develop processes handling variable RMA demand and repair complexity.
• Support field-repair requirements and translate field issues into improved factory Repair processes.
• Perform time studies, work measurement, line balancing, capacity modeling, staffing analysis, and workstation optimization.
• Model capacity for receiving, diagnostics, repair, coolant service, testing, burn-in, packaging, and shipment.
• Develop scenarios for demand ramps and changing RMA volumes.
• Drive productivity while maintaining quality and technician safety.
• Collaborate with IT/MES to improve repair routing, traceability, and data collection.

Skills

Time studies

Labor standards

Capacity modeling

Line balancing

Factory/workstation layout

Standardized work

Lean manufacturing

Root-cause analysis

Continuous improvement

Data analysis

Excel

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical skills

EHS coordination

Education

Bachelor's in Industrial/Manufacturing/Mechanical/Systems Engineering

Tools

MES

ERP

WMS

Power BI

SQL

Minitab

AutoCAD

Job description

Senior Industrial Engineer - AI Server RMA (Field Repair) Operation

Position Summary

This position is responsible for optimizing the end-to-end Return Material Authorization (RMA) and field-repair operation, including product receiving, triage, diagnostics, disassembly, component repair/replacement, liquid-cooling service, system integration, testing, quality verification, packaging, and return-to-customer flow.

The Senior Industrial Engineer will use data-driven methods to improve throughput, turnaround time (TAT), labor productivity, capacity, quality, ergonomics, and operational cost while ensuring processes are scalable, safe, traceable, and repeatable.

Key Responsibilities

RMA & Repair Operations

• Design, optimize, and maintain end-to-end RMA workflows from receiving and triage through diagnosis, repair, testing, final inspection, and shipment.
• Establish standard repair routes for common server and liquid-cooling failure modes.
• Identify bottlenecks, queue time, rework loops, excessive handling, and non-value-added activities.
• Develop processes capable of handling variable RMA demand, product configurations, and repair complexity.
• Support field-repair requirements and translate field service issues into improved factory repair processes.

Industrial Engineering & Capacity

• Perform time studies, work measurement, line balancing, capacity modeling, staffing analysis, and workstation optimization.
• Establish engineered labor standards and manpower requirements by repair type/product family.
• Model capacity for receiving, diagnostics, repair, coolant service, testing, burn-in, packaging, and shipment.
• Develop scenarios for demand ramps and changing RMA volumes.
• Analyze WIP and queue levels and recommend appropriate capacity buffers.
• Drive productivity improvements while maintaining product quality and technician safety.
• Optimize service processes involving cold plates, manifolds, hoses, quick-disconnects, pumps/CDU interfaces, coolant handling, leak inspection, flushing/filling, and pressure/leak testing, where applicable.
• Work with EHS and engineering teams to ensure safe handling of heavy, high-value server assemblies and cooling systems.
• Incorporate appropriate ergonomics and material-handling solutions for racks, trays, servers, and repair fixtures.

Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Lead Lean, Kaizen, 5S, Value Stream Mapping, DMAIC, and structured problem-solving activities.
• Apply Pareto analysis, 5-Why, Ishikawa/Fishbone, FMEA, SPC, and root-cause analysis to operational problems.
• Reduce waste associated with waiting, movement, transportation, inventory, overprocessing, defects, and rework.
• Develop standardized work and visual management for critical RMA processes.
• Facilitate cross-functional improvement workshops and drive actions through closure.

Factory Layout & Workstation Design

• Develop and maintain layouts for repair cells, diagnostic stations, test areas, WIP locations, coolant-service areas, material supermarkets, and finished-goods staging.
• Define space, equipment, tooling, utilities, ESD, material-flow, and ergonomic requirements for new or expanding operations.
• Optimize factory flow to minimize travel distance and unnecessary product handling.
• Support introduction and qualification of new workstations, fixtures, tooling, and automation.

Data, KPI & Digital Operations

• Develop dashboards and operating metrics for:
  • RMA turnaround time
  • Units repaired per labor hour
  • Repair/retest rate
  • WIP and aging
  • Queue time
  • Capacity utilization
  • Labor efficiency
  • On-time completion
• Use production data to identify constraints and prioritize improvements based on operational and financial impact.
• Partner with IT/MES teams to improve repair routing, traceability, data collection, defect coding, and electronic work instructions.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Typically, 5+ years of relevant industrial/manufacturing engineering experience, including ownership of complex production or repair processes.
• Demonstrated experience with:
  • Time studies and labor standards
  • Capacity and manpower modeling
  • Line/cell balancing
  • Factory/workstation layout
  • Standardized work
  • Lean manufacturing
  • Root-cause analysis
  • Continuous improvement
• Strong data-analysis capability using Microsoft Excel and similar analytical/reporting tools.
• Experience working cross-functionally with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Test, Materials, Planning, IT/MES, and EHS.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment with changing volume, priorities, and technical requirements.
• Strong written, verbal, analytical, and technical presentation skills.

Preferred

• Experience with server, rack, storage, networking, electronics, semiconductor, or other high-tech manufacturing/repair environments.
• Experience supporting RMA, depot repair, field service, failure analysis, or reverse logistics.
• Knowledge of AI/HPC server architecture and high-density compute environments.
• Experience with MES, ERP, WMS, Power BI, SQL, Minitab, AutoCAD/Factory Design, or simulation tools.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification is desirable.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001, ESD controls, PFMEA, Control Plans, and high-tech manufacturing quality systems is preferred.

Key Competencies

• Industrial engineering and operations optimization
• Capacity and labor planning
• Data-driven problem solving
• Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
• Factory and material-flow optimization
• High-mix / variable-demand operations
• Cross-functional leadership