Job Description:
Position Summary
We are seeking a highly motivated and hands-on Senior Manufacturing Engineer to support the industrialization, production ramp, and continuous improvement of Power Electronics. This role will focus on Inverters, Transformers and Switchgears and the complete system assembly and test process, including material flow, factory layout, production controls, and manufacturing scalability. The Manufacturing Engineer will lead efforts to transition products from NPI (New Product Introduction) into stable mass production while optimizing safety, quality, and throughput.
This position serves as the primary manufacturing engineering interface between internal engineering teams and contract manufacturers, ensuring production processes meet company requirements for safety, quality, delivery, scalability, and cost. The Manufacturing Engineer will focus heavily on process development, factory readiness, material flow, manufacturing controls, supplier capability, production capacity, and continuous improvement within CM facilities.
Key Responsibilities
Contract Manufacturer and Supplier Support
- Serve as the primary manufacturing engineering contact for CM and Supplier partners supporting production.
- Drive manufacturing readiness and operational execution at CM sites for:
- Power Electronics assembly and testing
- Subassembly production and Main Power Electronics assembly
- Final system integration and test
- Ensure CM manufacturing processes meet company standards for:
- Safety
- Quality
- Throughput
- Traceability
- Process repeatability
- Conduct regular on-site support, production reviews, process audits, DFMEA reviews and manufacturing assessments at supplier facilities.
Cost Reduction and Manufacturing Efficiency
- Drive manufacturing cost reduction initiatives across subassembly, main assembly, and test operations.
- Identify opportunities to reduce:
- Labor content
- Manufacturing cycle time
- Material handling waste
- Rework and scrap
- Floor space utilization
- Tooling and fixture costs
- Improve manufacturing efficiency through line balancing, process optimization, and workflow improvements.
- Partner with Design Engineering and Supply Chain on Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and component cost reduction opportunities.
- Support implementation of Lean Manufacturing principles to eliminate non-value-added activities and improve operational efficiency.
Assembly, Test, and Capacity Planning
- Develop and standardize manufacturing and test processes across CM production lines.
- Support setup and optimization of:
- Power Electronics test stations
- Functional test systems
- Final system test operations
- Perform station-by-station capacity analysis and line balancing to support production targets.
- Establish manufacturing KPIs and operational controls including:
- Throughput
- Cycle time
- First pass yield
- Downtime tracking
- Bottleneck analysis
- Drive implementation of standardized production controls and reporting across CM partners.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering, or related field.
- Fluency in Spanish and English, both written and spoken, is required.
- 8+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in:
- Power electronics
- Industrial equipment
- Renewable energy
- High-power electrical systems
- Automotive or related industries
- Experience supporting complex electromechanical assembly and test operations.
- Experience with NPI, production ramp, and manufacturing scale-up.
- Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, PFMEA/DFMEA, control plans, root cause analysis, and process improvement methods.
- Strong problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills.
Preferred
- Experience with:
- Solar Power Electronics manufacturing
- High-voltage/high-current products
- Power conversion systems
- Automated test systems
- Heavy assembly operations
- Lean or Six Sigma certification preferred.
- Familiarity with ERP/MES systems and manufacturing data analysis.
At Nextpower, we are driving the global energy transition with an integrated clean energy technology platform that combines intelligent structural, electrical, and digital solutions for utility-scale power plants. Our comprehensive portfolio enables faster project delivery, higher performance, and greater reliability, helping our customers capture the full value of solar power. Our talented worldwide teams are redefining how solar power plants are designed, built, and operated every day with smart technology, data-driven insights, and advanced automation. Together, we’re building the foundation for the world’s next generation of clean energy infrastructure.
**We are Nextpower**