There was a time when all of America believed that the future of the physical world could be radically different. The engineers of the mid-1900s put a man on the moon in eight years, designed and built planes and submarines from scratch in under three, and conceived of building things we wouldn’t even be able to dream up today.
Today, the last of the engineers who imagined and built these systems are retiring. As they go, we lose not only the engineering knowledge gained from their decades of imagination and trial-and-error, but also the spirit that made that imagination possible.
Amca is working day-in and day-out to restore America’s ability to engineer anything that our critical systems depend on, and reinvigorate the cycle of creation that allows imagination to shape physical reality. We rapidly develop and manufacture new critical components and subsystems required to build and sustain the planes, military vehicles, and core infrastructure America needs. By restoring the capability of our antiquated supply chains, we increase the country’s capacity to imagine and realize new systems, and make a physical world that looks very different from today.
Overview
This role has two parts. You are accountable for the quality and reliability of the electronic hardware Amca sources externally by qualifying suppliers, containing and dispositioning defects, and driving corrective action to root cause. You are also the product owner for build-to-print customer contracts. When a customer hands us a technical data package and a delivery date, you own breaking down the contract, building the schedule, driving engineering, procurement, and production against it, and answering to the customer for the result. At most companies this scope sits with a Technical Program Manager. At Amca, product ownership sits with the engineer closest to the hardware, because the person who understands a product is best positioned to execute on it.
Your commodities are electronics: Printed circuit board assemblies, PCB fabrication, cable and harness assemblies, connectors, enclosures and box builds, EEE components, and the test and environmental qualification that proves them out.
Obsolescence is a permanent part of this job. Much of what the fleet depends on was designed around parts nobody makes anymore, and finding or qualifying a path forward is work we expect you to lead.
We are looking for engineers with deep knowledge of electronics manufacturing and quality methods, a bias toward action, the ability to hold suppliers to requirements, and the judgment to make and keep commitments to customers.
Responsibilities
Product Ownership, Build-to-Print
- Serve as product owner for assigned build-to-print contracts, accountable from award through first article to rate production
- Decompose the customer technical data package and contract into a requirements matrix covering schematics, assembly drawings, BOMs, workmanship and quality clauses, test, inspection, marking, ESD and packaging, and delivery, and flow each requirement to the teams and suppliers who must satisfy it
- Build and own the program schedule, including long lead and allocated components, bare board and tooling, first article, qualification testing, and delivery, drive the cross-functional team to hold it, and escalate early and specifically when a commitment is at risk
- Act as the primary technical interface to the customer for status, manufacturability questions, deviations and waivers, part substitutions, and source inspection, and own configuration control against drawing and BOM revisions and program cost against quote
Nonconformance and Defect Resolution
- Own supplier-caused defects end to end, from containment and scope through removal of affected parts from production, disposition, return to vendor, and closure
- Run material review and nonconformance processes with quality, engineering, and production on issues found at the supplier, at incoming inspection, or on the floor
- Issue supplier corrective and preventive actions, evaluate responses on technical merit, and verify effectiveness
- Lead root cause investigations on solder and workmanship defects, ESD damage, conformal coating and cleanliness issues, bare board quality, harness continuity and pinout errors, incorrect or substituted components, and test escapes
- Reduce the volume of vendor-caused defects reaching Amca factories over time
Source Qualification and Supplier Development
- Evaluate and onboard EMS and contract manufacturers, bare board fabricators, harness and cable shops, connector and enclosure suppliers, and test houses through capability assessment, quality system review, and onsite audit against AS9100 and program requirements
- Own first article inspection (AS9102) and production readiness for new and transitioning assemblies, including BOM scrub, approved manufacturer verification, and test readiness
- Define technical requirements for suppliers and confirm compliance before production release, covering IPC-A-610 Class 3 and J-STD-001 workmanship, IPC-6012 board fabrication, IPC/WHMA-A-620 harness requirements, and ESD control per ANSI/ESD S20.20
- Provide onsite technical support on process control, stencil and reflow profiles, inspection and AOI strategy, and test coverage, and drive supplier improvement plans to measurable outcomes
Components, Obsolescence, and Risk
- Own EEE component risk across the portfolio, including end-of-life notices, allocation and lead time volatility, last-time buys, and qualification of alternates and second sources
- Drive counterfeit avoidance in line with AS5553 and AS6081, including authorized distribution policy, traceability requirements, and test and inspection of any parts sourced outside franchised channels
- Identify and mitigate sole-source exposure on custom silicon, obsolete devices, and specialty connectors, and bring forward redesign or requalification paths when no drop-in alternate exists
- Analyze supplier quality and delivery data to isolate systemic gaps and convert them into targeted projects at specific suppliers
Cross-Functional Work
- Work with design, test, and build engineers to understand design intent and translate it into supplier requirements, and read and interpret schematics, assembly drawings, BOMs, and military and aerospace specifications
- Support environmental and qualification testing requirements, including DO-160 and MIL-STD-810, 461, and 704 where they apply to sourced assemblies
- Develop the standards and documentation that make supplier quality and program execution repeatable as Amca scales
Expectations
In your first year, you own your programs and your commodities outright. Contractual first article and delivery milestones are met, there are no customer escapes, there are no schedule slip the customer heard about after the fact, you can demonstrate a measurable reduction in vendor-caused defects reaching our factories, no line stopped by an obsolescence surprise you did not see coming, and corrective actions closed with objective evidence rather than paperwork.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in electrical, electronics, computer, or a related engineering discipline
- 2+ years of professional or internship experience in a quality, manufacturing, process, component, program, or supply chain engineering role
- Demonstrated ability to read schematics, assembly drawings, and bills of material
- Working knowledge of printed circuit board assembly, including SMT and through-hole process, inspection, and test
- Demonstrated ownership of a project or program with a hard external commitment, where you built the schedule, drove people who did not report to you, and were accountable for the outcome
- Comfortable communicating directly with customers and suppliers on technical, quality, and schedule commitments
Preferred
- Aerospace, defense, or another regulated hardware industry background
- Technical program management, product owner, or NPI experience in a hardware environment
- Build-to-print or contract manufacturing experience, including technical data package review and requirements flow-down
- Hands-on experience managing EMS or contract manufacturers through NPI and production ramp
- IPC certification, such as CIS or CIT for IPC-A-610 or J-STD-001
- Component engineering experience, including obsolescence management and alternate part qualification
- Counterfeit avoidance program experience under AS5553 or AS6081
- AS9100 or a comparable quality management system, AS9102 first article, and supplier approval processes
- Familiarity with DO-254 or DO-178 development assurance, or with environmental qualification to DO-160 or MIL-STD-810, 461, and 704
- Prime contractor and government requirements, including FAR/DFARS flow-downs, contract quality clauses, and government source inspection
- Root cause analysis, FMEA, SPC, design of experiments, and lean manufacturing concepts
- Proficiency with large data sets, including SQL, for supplier and program performance analysis
Additional Requirements
- Based in El Segundo, CA, onsite five days a week. Remote work is not considered.
- Ability to travel up to 25% to supplier facilities, Amca factories, and customer sites
- Willing to work extended hours as needed to support production and resolve critical issues
- Valid driver's license
Annual Salary Range
$100,000—$180,000 USD
This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a US person as: any individual who is granted U.S. citizenship; or. any individual who is granted U.S. permanent residence ("Green Card" holder); or. any individual who is granted status as a "protected person" under 8 U.S.C 1324b(a)(3).
The Advanced Manufacturing Company of America prohibits discrimination or harassment based on the following categories: race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.
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