Senior SMT Line Lead - AI-Enabled Manufacturing

Etched; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Housing subsidy relocation support

Daily meals in office

Relocation support for San Jose

Job summary

Etched is seeking a seasoned SMT Line Lead to operate and optimize our in-house SMT line, from incoming material to finished modules. You will build and lead a multi-disciplinary operations team and coordinate with process engineering, equipment, and procurement to ensure reliable, high-yield production for NPI and mass production.

You will own scheduling, training, inventory control, and quality inspection processes, driving continuous improvement and applying agentic AI tools to boost

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field or comparable experience.
• Minimum of five years in electronics manufacturing (PCBA/SMT).
• At least two years leading production teams.
• Hands-on SMT line day-to-day operations: build scheduling, kitting, feeder setup, changeovers, line-side inventory.
• Experience managing mixed teams of full-time employees and contractors across shifts.
• Familiarity with SMT inspection and quality (SPI, AOI, X-ray) and IPC-A-610/J-STD-001.
• Willingness to learn agentic AI augmentation and apply on the job.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day operation of a US-based SMT line for NPI and mass production.
• Hire, lead, and develop the line's operations team including IQC, material handlers, and technicians.
• Own shift schedules and coverage, including overtime and backfill with staffing partners.
• Build training and certification programs (IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, ESD, MSD handling).
• Turn program priorities into daily/weekly build schedules; manage changeovers.
• Own material flow from receiving to finished goods: inspection, kitting, staging, WIP, packing.
• Collaborate with supply chain and procurement to ensure material availability and quality.
• Run inspection flow (IQC, SPI, AOI, AXI, test) and rework; partner on yield improvements.
• Define line processes: work instructions, travelers, handoffs, nonconforming material.",

Skills

Line leadership

SMT line operations

Build scheduling

Kitting

Process automation

Quality inspection

IPC-A-610

J-STD-001

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Tools

MES

Traceability systems

Job description

Etched is seeking a seasoned SMT Line Lead to operate and optimize our in-house SMT line, from incoming material to finished modules. You will build and lead a multi-disciplinary operations team and coordinate with process engineering, equipment, and procurement to ensure reliable, high-yield production for NPI and mass production.

You will own scheduling, training, inventory control, and quality inspection processes, driving continuous improvement and applying agentic AI tools to boost