Senior Production Readiness Engineer

VulcanForms Inc.; Harvard (MA); On-site; USD 106,000 - 146,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) plan with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

VulcanForms Inc. seeks a Senior Production Readiness Engineer to lead manufacturing development for precision optical components and laser-delivery assemblies in a high-precision metal additive environment.

You will own MOMs, BOMs, work instructions, and change control, while enabling safe, scalable production on the shop floor. Responsibilities include driving quality/yield, applying 8D/FMEA techniques, and partnering with technicians to resolve on‑the‑floor issues; strong Lean, SPC, and

Qualifications

• B.S. in Engineering or related field with 3+ years in optical/precision manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of precision manufacturing processes and operations.
• Experience developing/qualifying production processes using FMEA, DOE, and related tools.
• Experience integrating new technologies and equipment into production.
• Design of fixtures and tooling; cleanroom experience a plus.
• Familiarity with Lean, SPC, and quality-system requirements.

Responsibilities

• Drive product quality and yield; reduce scrap and rework; oversee ramp.
• Apply SPC and data-driven methods to monitor process capability and resolve issues.
• Collaborate with technicians and leads to resolve shop floor issues.
• Specify and integrate advanced technology and equipment for capacity growth.
• Lead kaizen events and lean improvement to cut costs and increase throughput.
• Create MOMs and BOMs; manage change control in ERP/MES (Epicor Kinetic).
• Develop and maintain quality docs: work instructions, specs, inspection plans, FAI, and DHR.
• Design/manufacture fixtures and tooling for cleanroom environments.
• Translate design requirements into process specs; work with design/optical engineering.
• Support NCR/CAPA resolution and supplier issue escalation.
• Ensure safety and compliance with EHS policies; address laser/chemical hazards.

Skills

Process FMEA

Fault tree analysis

DOE (Design of Experiments)

CPQ/Process planning

Lean manufacturing

Quality systems

GDT (GD&T)

ERP/MES (Epicor Kinetic)

PLM (Windchill)

Autodesk Inventor CAD

Measurement & metrology

Education

B.S. in Engineering or related field

Tools

Epicor Kinetic

Greenlight Guru

Windchill

Autodesk Inventor

Job description

Job Purpose

As a Senior Production Readiness Engineer, you will provide manufacturing-engineering and technical support for the Optical Manufacturing production team. You will define, implement, and maintain the manufacturing, quality-assurance, and quality-control processes used to build precision optical components, opto-mechanical sub-assemblies, and final laser-delivery assemblies that go into VulcanForms’ metal AM systems.

You will own the manufacturing engineering behind these processes — developing methods of manufacturing (MOMs), bills of material (BOMs); authoring work instructions and inspection plans; managing engineering change; designing manufacturing processes, fixtures, and tooling; and providing hands‑on floor support across production and the machine shop. The ideal candidate is well‑versed in precision and optical manufacturing operations and in the health‑and‑safety practices required to run a safe, high‑precision production environment.

This is a hands‑on, high‑impact role: you will help mature precision optical assemblies from early and prototype builds into repeatable medium‑volume production — putting your thumbprint on the processes, fixtures, and documentation that ship in VulcanForms systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive product quality and yield: identify manufacturing issues, develop cost‑effective solutions including scrap and rework reduction, and oversee successful production ramp.
• Apply SPC and data‑driven root‑cause and corrective‑action methods (8D, fishbone, PFMEA, fault tree) to monitor process capability and resolve problems across methods, processes, tooling, fixtures, equipment, and product design.
• Partner with production technicians and team leads to resolve day‑to‑day manufacturing and quality issues on the floor.
• Specify, justify, qualify, and integrate advanced technology and capital equipment to improve productivity, process capability, and capacity for future programs.
• Apply Lean manufacturing principles and lead or participate in kaizen and continuous‑improvement events to improve capability, reduce cost, and increase throughput.
• Create and maintain methods of manufacturing (MOMs) and bills of material (BOMs), and manage change control, in the ERP/MES (Epicor Kinetic).
• Develop and maintain manufacturing documentation within the controlled quality system - work instructions, process specifications, inspection plans, and first‑article inspection (FAI) and support Device History Record (DHR) completeness.
• Design and improve manufacturing processes (manufacturing process design through production), and design and build fixtures and tooling for cleanroom manufacturing environments, supporting both production and the machine shop.
• Translate design requirements into process and equipment specifications and collaborate with optical and design engineering to integrate build and test results into improved designs.
• Support resolution of nonconformances and corrective/preventive actions (NCR/CAPA), including internal‑customer issues, line‑down events, and repairs.
• Assist subcontractors and suppliers in resolving manufacturing‑and quality‑related issues.
• Champion safety: proactively identify hazards (including laser and chemical hazards), drive corrective measures, and ensure adherence to EHS policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Engineering or a related technical field (Mechanical, Optical, Manufacturing, or similar), with 3+ years of optical, opto‑mechanical, or other advanced/precision manufacturing experience.
• Strong knowledge of precision manufacturing processes and operations.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and qualify production processes using process FMEA, fault tree analysis, design of experiments (DOE), and process‑planning tools.
• Experience developing and integrating new technologies and equipment into production.
• Experience designing production fixtures and tooling for manufacturing environments - cleanroom experience a plus.
• Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing, quality‑system requirements, and SPC tools.
• Proficiency with change control, inspection plans, and engineering drawings/GD&T; CAD literacy in Autodesk Inventor.
• Experience operating within a controlled quality management system - ISO 13485 and/or AS 9100D.
• Hands‑on experience with ERP/MES - including creating BOMs, methods of manufacturing, and managing change control - Epicor Kinetic preferred; experience with an electronic QMS (e.g., Greenlight Guru) and PLM (e.g., Windchill) a plus.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Preferred Qualifications

Technical

• Experience building and testing complex, high‑precision optical or laser systems.
• Strong familiarity with cleanroom protocols and with setting up and operating an optical lab.
• Laser beam metrology and diagnostics - profilometry, M² measurement, power/energy, beam profiling - and the associated software.
• Laser‑induced damage threshold (LIDT) testing of optical surfaces.
• Precision bonding/epoxy and cure processes, fiber‑optic assembly or fusion splicing, interferometry, and spectrophotometry.

CNC & Machine Shop

• Hands‑on CNC machining experience - programming, setup, and operation of 3- and 4‑axis vertical machining centers (Okuma / OSP control a strong plus).
• CAM programming and CNC setup development - fixturing, work‑offsets, tool selection, and feeds and speeds.
• Precision machining of copper and aluminum alloys (e.g., tellurium copper C14500, 6061) to tight tolerances and fine surface finishes.
• On‑machine probing (e.g., Renishaw) and 4th‑axis / trunnion work.
• GD&T interpretation and precision metrology (CMM, indicators, profilometry) for machined parts.

Attributes

• Ability to multitask and adapt to changing business requirements; excellent organizational and prioritization skills.
• Strong analytical, data‑driven problem‑solving skills, with sound reasoning even when data is limited.
• Strong work ethic, good judgment, and sound decision‑making.
• Strong sense of ownership; hands‑on, practical mindset.
• Team player with excellent communication skills.
• Excited to take on new challenges in metal additive manufacturing and to work in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment; self‑motivated and capable of setting and reaching ambitious goals.

VulcanFormsoffers a competitive salary and equitypackage.Actual compensation is based on factors such as the candidate’s skills, qualifications, and experience.In addition,VulcanFormsprovides comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; generous paid time off; and a 401(k) plan with companymatch.

VulcanForms Inc. is a registered ITAR company. To conform to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

The annual base salary range for this position is $106,000.00 to $146,000.00.