Sr. Manufacturing Engineer - PCBA & Validation Test

About the Role

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth. With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, globally compatible positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection. As the Senior Manufacturing Engineer, you will own the validation and test of printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) for flight hardware, from receiving through functional release to build.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the production/process validation testing (PVT) strategy for incoming PCBAs, including receiving inspection, ICT/flying probe, X-ray, conformal coating inspection, and functional or environmental screening. Drive continuous improvement in cycle time.
• Translate schematics, assembly drawings, and IPC-A-610 / J-STD-001 workmanship criteria into inspection and test procedures embedded directly in digital work instructions and travelers.
• Specify, build, and qualify test fixtures, bed-of-nails and functional test stations, and the instrumentation behind them (power supplies, DMMs, oscilloscopes, signal generators, data acquisition systems).
• Own nonconformance management for incoming boards — containment, root cause analysis (8D/5-Why/Fishbone), and MRB disposition.
• Work with the QA and supply chain teams to conduct PCB contract manufacturer audits and own SCAR workflows, driving supplier corrective action to closure.
• Build measurement and test confidence through gage/test method validation and Gage R&R.
• Analyze yield, defect, and escape trends from incoming PCBA data to drive both supplier-side and internal process improvement.
• Partner with electrical design and systems engineering to feed manufacturing and test data back into DFM for future board revisions.
• Mentor engineers and technicians on PCBA inspection and test practices as the team and factory scale.

Requirements

• B.S. in Electrical, Mechanical, Industrial Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 7+ years in manufacturing or test engineering in a PCBA/electronics production environment (5+ with an advanced degree).
• Direct experience standing up or owning production/process validation testing (PVT) for electronic assemblies.
• Working knowledge of IPC-A-610 and J-STD-001 workmanship and acceptance standards.
• Experience with PCBA test methods: ICT, flying probe, functional test, and the fixtures and equipment behind them.
• Ability to read and interpret schematics, assembly prints, and BOMs, with working knowledge of GD&T.
• Experience with nonconformance management and root cause analysis.
• Hands-on in a fast-moving production environment, working directly with technicians and CM partners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in aerospace, space, defense, or other high-reliability electronics manufacturing (IPC Class 3, J-STD-001 Space Addendum).
• PCB or electronics contract manufacturer audit experience.
• Experience with MES/ERP systems and configuration-controlled manufacturing records.
• Programming experience (Python or similar) for test automation or data analysis.
• Experience scaling a validation process from NPI/first article through repeatable production rate.

For U.S. roles: Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e., Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) to comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations.

For U.K. roles: This role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada roles: Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.