Manufacturing Engineer (I)

Location: Lenoir, NC Salary: $49.00 USD Hourly - $60.00 USD Hourly Description: Our client is currently seeking a Manufacturing Engineer (I)

Position Overview

The primary goal of this role is to minimize damage and reduce the operational impact of hardware failures across server infrastructure. You will be responsible for the inspection, testing, and micro-repair of critical hardware components to ensure cutting-edge Data Center assets remain highly reliable and properly maintained within the production environment.

Primary Responsibilities

• Quality & Damage Mitigation: Serve as a core QA specialist focused on monitoring, analyzing, and reducing damage to high-value hardware components.
• Process Auditing & Site Support: Partner with local site leadership to audit handling, packaging, and storage practices across all staging and processing areas to prevent handling-induced defects.
• Quarantine Management: Assist in executing the damaged parts verification workflow, ensuring defective hardware is properly isolated and never mixed with good inventory.
• Defect Escalation & Reporting: Identify recurring physical or electrical failure trends, document issues, and escalate findings to engineering and site management.
• Excursion Support: Provide hands-on support for field campaigns, targeted quality audits, and root-cause failure investigations.

Key Daily Tasks

• Perform specialized physical damage inspections and fine-detail repairs on critical server parts.
• Execute high-volume Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA) quick testing for inventory re-certification (~100 boards/week).
• Conduct damage verification checks on hardware flagged by onsite teams to validate defect claims (~100 parts/week).
• Perform physical component repairs, including straightening bent pin connectors, cleaning thermal paste off CPUs, and re-seating or replacing missing accessories (CPU carrier frames, dust covers, shields).
• Conduct periodic audits of Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) controls, physical handling, and packaging compliance across all warehouse and floor touchpoints.

Mandatory Qualifications & Skills

• Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree in a technical field or equivalent hands-on industry experience, along with 3+ years of experience in a technical or hardware-focused role.
• Hardware Knowledge: Solid understanding of enterprise electronic components and data center hardware (e.g., Motherboards, DIMMs, HDDs/SSDs, NICs, optical transceivers).
• Failure Analysis: Level 1 Failure Analysis (FA) capability for electronic assemblies, with a strong familiarity with common mechanical defects and structural damage.
• Inspection Equipment: Proficiency using precision inspection tools, including stereo microscopes, magnifying ring lights, and fine hand tools. Extended bench sessions doing detailed micro-inspections are required.
• Documentation & Technical Writing: Ability to track data, log results in electronic databases, and draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or process guides.
• Interpersonal Skills: Strong collaborative and communication skills to influence cross-functional teams and enforce handling protocols.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to lift, push, pull, and move medium-to-heavy hardware items as required by daily workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior Quality Assurance (QA) or Quality Control (QC) background within the electronics manufacturing or hardware tech industry.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting and repairing enterprise-grade server, storage, and networking hardware.
• Working knowledge of spreadsheet tools and databases for tracking metrics and yield reports.

Medical, dental, and vision insurance are available to qualified candidates who meet eligibility requirements.
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