The Senior Product Engineer – Space leads customer technical communications, product initiation, product-level continuous improvement and sustainment.

Key Job Accountabilities:

• Continuous improvement: Conduct continuous improvement efforts at the product level to reduce defects, improve yields, and improve productivity in order to deliver customer excellence and achieve Plexus’ enduring goals. Conduct analysis of product metric data to assess efficiency and effectiveness. Support efforts to identify root causes of failures and sub-standard performance, and improve efficiency.
• Technical Customer Support: Serve as the technical expert on Plexus site manufacturing as it relates to the customer’s product.  Lead response and actions to address customer technical inquiries and concerns.  Lead design for manufacturability discussions with the customer to improve manufacturability, profitability, quality, throughput, and resolve documentation errors.
• Manufacturing Readiness: Lead capture of customer requirements and translate requirements into a manufacturing solution.  Lead the determination of BOM structure, BOM levels, and build-through strategies as needed.  Lead manufacturing readiness using the PPQP process.  Lead the creation of the Product FMEA.  Lead the development, execution and maintenance of the Product Control Plan.  Define route, product ABI’s, and a tooling strategy.
• Sustain production: Support on-going production activities to ensure we continue to meet customer needs and achieve Plexus’ goals.  Lead review and approval of changes associated with ECO’s and deviations; support ECO Cost Impact analysis.  Lead required changes to operator-facing communications (assembly build instructions, deviations, rework instructions, etc.)  Support review and execution of changes to customer specifications, industry standards, and Plexus standards.
• Operations support:  Provide routine technical support and expertise to manufacturing personnel.  Answer technical questions and provide clarification regarding product specifications.  Lead real-time analysis and resolution of customer/product related problems; develop a recovery plan to resume production as quickly as possible.  Lead rework versus scrap decisions, as needed by operations; lead scrap disposition determination.

Additional Accountabilities:

• New Product Introduction support: Lead technical discussions with the customer regarding BOM structure, manufacturing readiness reviews, design for manufacturing improvements.  Lead creation of the Product FEMA and control plan.  Define the manufacturing process flow, manufacturing route, product work instructions and tooling needs.
• Lead validation efforts for product as required.  Support process and documentation changes.
• Lead non-BOM materials procurement plan.  Establish minimum/maximum levels for MRO items.  Ensure MSDS and required supporting information is provided to Environmental Health and Safety team.

Education/Experience Qualifications:

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree is required; a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering is preferred.
• Five (5) years of related experience is required.
• Experience with standards such as NASA 8739 and IPC J-STD-001 + Space Addendum.

Other Qualifications:

• Ability to work well in fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong ability to identify and solve problems proactively using structured problem solving tools, including making timely and effective decisions.
• Apply systemic data analysis and problem solving to address a full range of technical and organizational problems with creativity, imagination, confidence and responsibility.
• Ability to design a system or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, efficiency, repeatability, environmental, health and safety. Includes documentation and controls to ensure long term sustainability.
• Ability to coach and mentor technicians and other support staff within assigned areas of expertise.
• Ability to operate effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
• Ability to learn and utilize a variety of computer programs such as CAD, Visio, Solidworks, and other applicable Plexus programs.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to effectively interact with others. Must have strong presentation skills and the ability to represent Plexus Corp. in a professional manner.
• Ability to maintain the confidentiality of all customer and company information.

Work Environment:

• The work setting should consist of a manufacturing environment with suitable lighting, comfortable temperatures, and a moderate noise level.