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Salary: USD 140,000 - 180,000 / annual
Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology company (founded 2023, ~350 employees) focused on autonomous defense platforms. This is a hands-on technical leadership role with direct reports.
You will be Mach's go-to expert on designing electronics, harnesses, and avionics boxes for rapid, error-free manufacturing and field maintenance. Your core mission: ensure hardware is built to be built—fast, right the first time, at lowest cost, and easy to maintain.
Key Responsibilities:
**Own the Avionics DFMA Guide**
- Write, publish, and maintain Mach's Avionics Design-for-Manufacturing-Assembly (DFMA) guide covering design rules with test data, preferred components/connectors/processes, standard features/tolerances, and worked examples.
- Define DFM, DFA, DFT rules for PCBAs, wire harnesses, connectors, and avionics enclosures.
- Set connector retention and mate-assurance standards (two-stage CPA clips, terminal position assurance locks, full-mate indicators).
- Define connection checks at assembly stations (push-pull-push, CPA position checks, electrical continuity tests).
- Set and track DFMA metrics: part count, unique connector count, assembly/test time, first-pass yield, cost.
- Train design and manufacturing engineers on guide application.
**Shape Designs Early**
- Review vehicle and electrical architecture at concept stage before designs lock.
- Lead static and kinematic assembly studies (virtual builds) to check harness routing, install paths, and connector access.
- Drive content reduction, simpler assembly, build-in-quality, and ergonomic access; push for automation-friendly features.
- Define avionics poka-yoke standards (connector keying, unique connectors per interface, blind-mate installation).
- Lead value engineering on released designs to challenge assumptions and reduce cost.
**Enable Trade Studies and Make-vs-Buy**
- Build should-cost, cycle-time, and rate models showing how design choices affect cost, capital investment, schedule, and quality.
- Write manufacturing requirements in RFQ packages for contract manufacturers; evaluate supplier quotes.
**Lead R&D**
- Lead R&D on automated harness fabrication, flex/rigid-flex circuits, simpler interconnects, faster-curing potting/coatings.
- Develop connector and CPA designs with automatic full-mate confirmation (vision or electrical detection).
- Plan and run designed experiments (DOE); build test articles, test to failure, analyze with sound statistics, publish findings.
- Co-develop new components, processes, equipment with suppliers, contract manufacturers, equipment makers, universities, national labs.
- Lead manufacturing trials during prototype/validation builds.
**Support Production and Suppliers**
- Assess contract manufacturers, harness shops, connector suppliers on site; push toward best practices and lower investment.
- Work with connector suppliers on CPA/TPA design and qualification.
- Bring avionics expertise to design and process FMEAs (DFMEAs, PFMEAs); maintain library of known failure modes and proven controls.
- Lead root cause analysis on escapes and repeat defects (partially mated connectors, solder defects, miswires); feed fixes into the guide.
- Mentor engineers; help build Mach's DFMA function.
Required Qualifications:
- BS in Electrical, Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering, or equivalent.
- 8+ years in avionics, PCBA, or harness manufacturing or design engineering, including taking hardware from design into production at rate in aerospace, defense, automotive, or consumer electronics.
- Working knowledge of IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, IPC/WHMA-A-620.
- Experience with SMT processes, box build, and electrical test.
- Track record of writing design standards, guides, process specs.
- Strong manufacturing and industrial engineering fundamentals: cycle time analysis, OEE, process capability (Cp/Cpk), gauge R&R, DOE, error proofing, ergonomics, ROI.
- Working knowledge of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and tolerance stack-ups.
- Skilled in 3D CAD (NX, CATIA, SolidWorks or similar) and comfortable in ECAD tools.
Preferred Qualifications:
- MS in Electrical Engineering or related field.
- Knowledge of automotive connector standards (SAE/USCAR-2, USCAR-25) and MIL-spec connectors (MIL-DTL-38999).
- Experience with automotive high-volume harness and connector systems.
- Experience ruggedizing defense electronics (MIL-STD-810, shock/vibration).
- IPC CIS or CIT certification.
- Experience with high-rate automotive or consumer electronics production.
- Formal DFMA methods (Boothroyd Dewhurst), should-cost modeling, value engineering with measured savings.
- Experience leading DFMEAs and PFMEAs.
- Patents, publications, or processes developed and put into production.
- Experience in AS9100 or defense production environment.
- Lean or Six Sigma certification.
ITAR Requirement: Applicant must be a U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, Refugee, or Asylee, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
