PTME Selective Soldering Engineer

Responsible for developing, installing, validating, and sustaining selective soldering processes for power electronics PCBAs. This is a hands-on manufacturing engineering role focused on process robustness, defect prevention, and validation through AOI/AXI inspection and cross-section analysis. The position includes equipment installation, commissioning, safety compliance, and quality documentation ownership.

• Develop, optimize, and maintain selective soldering processes (preferably using Ersa equipment) to ensure consistent solder joint quality and high production yield.
• Lead equipment installation and commissioning of selective soldering lines, including setup, calibration, qualification, and ramp-up to production.
• Define and control critical process parameters: fluxing, preheating, solder pot temperature, nitrogen usage, nozzle selection, cycle times, and maintenance intervals.
• Ensure compliance with manufacturing safety standards (including thermal, chemical, and ESD controls) during installation, operation, and maintenance.
• Analyze and resolve soldering defects such as bridging, insufficient fill, icicles, voids, non-wetting, dewetting, driving root cause and permanent corrective actions.
• Perform hands-on cross-sectioning and solder joint analysis, including evaluation of intermetallic layers, wetting behavior, and internal defects.
• Define and execute cutting strategies for NPI, ensuring representative sampling of critical joints and interfaces.
• Utilize and interpret AOI and AXI inspection systems to validate soldering quality and correlate inspection results with physical analysis.
• Plan and execute process validation activities (DOE, process window definition, capability studies, PPAP support when applicable).
• Own and maintain quality and manufacturing documentation, including:
  • PFMA / PFMEA (process risk analysis specific to soldering)
  • DCP (Process Control Documents)
  • Control Plans (inspection points, reaction plans, limits)
  • Work instructions and standard operating procedures
• Establish and validate inspection criteria and defect thresholds aligned with IPC standards.
• Drive continuous improvement for defect reduction, yield improvement, and process stability.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, maintenance, and suppliers to ensure process alignment, equipment uptime, and defect containment.

Please read carefully the required qualifications before applying:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Mechatronics, or related field).

• Required Qualifications

  • Proven experience in selective soldering processes for PCBA manufacturing (Ersa equipment preferred).
  • Strong understanding of soldering fundamentals, heat transfer, and defect mechanisms in electronics manufacturing.
  • Hands-on experience with equipment installation, commissioning, and ramp-up in a production environment.
  • Solid knowledge of manufacturing safety practices (thermal processes, chemicals/flux, ESD controls).
  • Strong hands-on experience with cross-sectioning and solder joint analysis, including intermetallic evaluation and defect identification.
  • Experience using AOI and AXI inspection systems for process validation and defect detection.
  • Experience developing and maintaining PFMA/PFMEA, DCP, and Control Plans for soldering processes.
  • Knowledge of IPC standards (e.g., IPC-A-610, IPC-7095).
  • Hands-on experience with laboratory equipment, including:
  • Precision cutting tools
  • Diamond saws
  • Mounting and polishing equipment
  • Experience in process validation methodologies (DOE, process window optimization, capability/yield improvement).
  • Ability to troubleshoot using inspection data + physical analysis and implement sustainable corrective actions.

• Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in automotive or high-reliability electronics manufacturing.
  • Experience with NPI and PPAP for PCBA processes.
  • Knowledge of thermal profiling and optimization in selective soldering.
  • Familiarity with maintenance strategies and equipment reliability (TPM).
  • Exposure to Lean / Six Sigma methodologies.

• Language Skills: Advanced proficiency in English (written and verbal) to support global reporting, technical documentation, and cross-functional collaboration.