Principal Manufacturing Engineer Jobs
Principal Manufacturing Engineer jobs are open across aerospace, automotive, medical devices, semiconductor fabrication, and industrial equipment manufacturing, from senior engineer to staff and principal levels, with specializations in process optimization, lean manufacturing, and design for manufacturability. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Description
As a Principal Manufacturing Engineer (PCBA) at Impulse, you will be the recognized expert on printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) and will provide deep technical expertise on PCBA technology for spaceflight. You will bridge the gap between Design and Manufacturing, ensuring our designs are fully optimized for manufacturability, testability and reliability.
Responsibilities
- Provide technical leadership across the company as the subject matter expert on PCBAs, including manufacturing process, materials, design for manufacturability, environmental testing and qualification, etc.
- Develop, qualify and optimize manufacturing processes for PCBAs, including solder rework, SMT, conformal coating, staking, underfill and inspection
- Develop, characterize, and optimize PCBA assembly processes, including:
- Hand soldering/solder rework, wave soldering, reflow soldering, selective soldering
- Apply an understanding of soldering physics, including:
- Heat transfer and thermal profiles
- Wetting, spreading, surface tension, and intermetallic formation
- Serve as a subject-matter resource for PCBA rework and repair, including:
- Component removal and replacement
- Pad repair
- Solder-joint rework
- Localized thermal processes
- Damage prevention
- Cleaning and inspection
- Rework documentation and acceptance criteria
- Provide technical expertise on environmental testing of PCBAs, including vibration, thermal cycling and thermal vacuum
- Collaborate with design engineers to ensure manufacturability, testability, reliability, drawing review and DFM/DFA of PCBAs
- Serve as technical expert on troubleshooting production issues, identifying root causes, and driving implementation of corrective actions for non-conformances
- Own company specifications on PCBAs
- Stay up-to-date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in PCBA manufacturing to drive innovation and implementation of lead-edge technology
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelors' degree in Materials Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, or related field
- 10+ years of demonstrated manufacturing experience with PCBAs, including SMT, conformal coating, staking, underfill
- 10+ years of demonstrated inspection experience with PCBAs, X-ray/CT, flying probe and AOI.
- Deep understanding of materials used in PCBs and PCBA manufacturing
- Strong practical knowledge of hand soldering, wave soldering, reflow, selective soldering, component attachment, and terminal soldering
- Experience with soldering physics, fluxes, solder alloys, surface finishes, thermal profiles, solderability, and common soldering defects
Preferred Skills and Experience
- 15+ years of demonstrated manufacturing and inspection experience related PCBAs,
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Materials Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, or related field
- Experience with PCB and PCBA manufacturing for space applications.
- In-depth understanding of PCBA functional testing, software testing and environmental testing.
- Experience automated optical inspection (AOI), and X-ray/CT inspection of PCBAs
Additional Information:
Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
Impulse Space’s spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card holder), an individual granted asylum in the U.S., or an individual admitted in U.S. refugee status) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. Learn more about the ITAR here.
About Impulse Space
Description
As a Principal Manufacturing Engineer (PCBA) at Impulse, you will be the recognized expert on printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) and will provide deep technical expertise on PCBA technology for spaceflight. You will bridge the gap between Design and Manufacturing, ensuring our designs are fully optimized for manufacturability, testability and reliability.
Responsibilities
- Provide technical leadership across the company as the subject matter expert on PCBAs, including manufacturing process, materials, design for manufacturability, environmental testing and qualification, etc.
- Develop, qualify and optimize manufacturing processes for PCBAs, including solder rework, SMT, conformal coating, staking, underfill and inspection
- Develop, characterize, and optimize PCBA assembly processes, including:
- Hand soldering/solder rework, wave soldering, reflow soldering, selective soldering
- Apply an understanding of soldering physics, including:
- Heat transfer and thermal profiles
- Wetting, spreading, surface tension, and intermetallic formation
- Serve as a subject-matter resource for PCBA rework and repair, including:
- Component removal and replacement
- Pad repair
- Solder-joint rework
- Localized thermal processes
- Damage prevention
- Cleaning and inspection
- Rework documentation and acceptance criteria
- Provide technical expertise on environmental testing of PCBAs, including vibration, thermal cycling and thermal vacuum
- Collaborate with design engineers to ensure manufacturability, testability, reliability, drawing review and DFM/DFA of PCBAs
- Serve as technical expert on troubleshooting production issues, identifying root causes, and driving implementation of corrective actions for non-conformances
- Own company specifications on PCBAs
- Stay up-to-date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in PCBA manufacturing to drive innovation and implementation of lead-edge technology
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelors' degree in Materials Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, or related field
- 10+ years of demonstrated manufacturing experience with PCBAs, including SMT, conformal coating, staking, underfill
- 10+ years of demonstrated inspection experience with PCBAs, X-ray/CT, flying probe and AOI.
- Deep understanding of materials used in PCBs and PCBA manufacturing
- Strong practical knowledge of hand soldering, wave soldering, reflow, selective soldering, component attachment, and terminal soldering
- Experience with soldering physics, fluxes, solder alloys, surface finishes, thermal profiles, solderability, and common soldering defects
Preferred Skills and Experience
- 15+ years of demonstrated manufacturing and inspection experience related PCBAs,
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Materials Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, or related field
- Experience with PCB and PCBA manufacturing for space applications.
- In-depth understanding of PCBA functional testing, software testing and environmental testing.
- Experience automated optical inspection (AOI), and X-ray/CT inspection of PCBAs
Additional Information:
Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
Impulse Space’s spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card holder), an individual granted asylum in the U.S., or an individual admitted in U.S. refugee status) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. Learn more about the ITAR here.
About Impulse Space
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Find JobsPrincipal Manufacturing Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman30
- Amazon13
- SAP4
- Celanese4
- K2 Space4
Top Industries Hiring
- Science & Research
- Distribution & Wholesale
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Energy
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal manufacturing engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or industrial engineering required
- Eight or more years of hands-on manufacturing process engineering experience
- Proficiency with CAD software such as SolidWorks, CATIA, or NX
- Experience leading DFMEA, PFMEA, and design for manufacturability reviews
- Demonstrated application of lean manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies
- Familiarity with GD&T, process capability analysis, and statistical process control
Tips for Your Principal Manufacturing Engineer Job Search
Quantify process improvement outcomes on your resume
Hiring managers for principal-level roles want yield improvements, cycle time reductions, and cost savings tied to your work. Replace vague bullets like 'improved production efficiency' with specific outcomes, using percentages or dollar figures your former employer made public.
Highlight cross-functional leadership without a title
Principal roles expect you to influence tooling, quality, and supply chain teams without direct authority. Your resume should show projects where you drove decisions across engineering disciplines, not just delivered technical work inside your own lane.
Filter openings by manufacturing process type
Job titles blur across industries, so search by the process you know best, such as injection molding, CNC machining, or semiconductor fab, alongside the title. You'll surface roles where your domain depth is an actual hiring advantage, not just a nice-to-have.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists principal manufacturing engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare a technical case study for your interview
Principal manufacturing engineer interviews often include a deep-dive session where you walk through a real process problem you solved from root cause to production implementation. Have one example ready that shows how you balanced cost, quality, and schedule constraints simultaneously.
Negotiate scope and charter, not just compensation
At the principal level, the number of programs you own and your authority to approve process changes matter as much as pay. During offer discussions, clarify what decisions you can make independently versus which require director sign-off before you accept.
Principal Manufacturing Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most principal manufacturing engineers?
Northrop Grumman, Amazon, and SAP are hiring the most principal manufacturing engineers right now, with openings concentrated in California, Utah, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand is especially strong in aerospace, medical device, and semiconductor manufacturing segments.
How many principal manufacturing engineer jobs are remote?
About 56% of principal manufacturing engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of most manufacturing roles. Process development, manufacturing systems engineering, and manufacturing program management positions are the sub-areas most likely to offer remote or hybrid flexibility.
How do you become a principal manufacturing engineer?
Start with a bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or industrial engineering, then build hands-on process engineering experience across multiple product lines or production environments. Progress by taking ownership of full product launches, earning a Six Sigma Green or Black Belt certification, and demonstrating the ability to lead cross-functional teams through complex process transfers or new facility ramp-ups.
Can you get hired as a principal manufacturing engineer without direct experience at that level?
Yes, if you can show the scope of your work already matches principal-level responsibilities. Document any experience leading process engineering on a full product lifecycle, mentoring junior engineers, or serving as the technical decision-maker on capital equipment purchases. Certifications in lean manufacturing or quality systems help close the gap when your title has not yet caught up to your actual contributions.
What does the principal manufacturing engineer interview process look like?
Most processes include an initial screening call, a technical phone or video interview focused on your process engineering methodology, and an on-site or virtual loop with engineering managers, cross-functional peers, and sometimes a VP of manufacturing. Expect at least one deep-dive session where you walk through a past project from problem identification through production validation, covering trade-offs you made along the way.
Where can I find and apply to principal manufacturing engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to principal manufacturing engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your process background and industry experience, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
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