NPI Engineer; PCBA

Our Mission

SPAN is enabling electrification for all

We are a mission-driven company designing, building, and deploying products that electrify the built environment, reduce carbon emissions, and slow the effects of climate change.

• Decarbonization is the process to reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide, from entering our atmosphere.
• Electrification is the process of replacing fossil fuel appliances that run on gas or oil with all-electric upgrades for a cleaner way to power our lives.

At SPAN, we believe in :

• Enabling homes and vehicles powered by clean energy
• Making electrification upgrades possible
• Building more resilient homes with reliable backup
• Designing a flexible and distributed electrical grid

SPAN is looking for a Staff NPI (New Product Introduction) Engineer - PCBA to lead and execute the design transfer of our electronics hardware into production. The Staff NPI Engineer will bring deep expertise in PCBA manufacturing, SMT processes, and electronic assembly / test development. This role will own the technical interface with our contract manufacturers (CMs), ensuring robust processes for high-yield, scalable, and cost-effective builds.

As the bridge between design and manufacturing, you will work cross-functionally with hardware design, test, manufacturing, and quality teams to drive smooth product introductions, ensure DFM / DFT readiness, and establish world-class manufacturing practices for our PCBAs and electronics modules.

This position reports directly to our Director of Manufacturing Engineering and is part of the Supply Chain & Manufacturing (SCM) organization.

• Lead the NPI process for PCBAs and electronics subassemblies, from prototype to high-volume manufacturing.
• Apply DFx principles (DFM, DFT, DFQ, DFR, DFC) to electronic designs to ensure robust manufacturability, test coverage, and quality.
• Partner with design engineers to review Gerbers / ODB++ , schematics, and layouts for manufacturability and testability.
• Define and implement PCBA test strategy (ICT, FCT, boundary scan, functional test fixtures) in collaboration with hardware and test engineering.
• Drive SMT line qualifications, reflow profile validation, selective soldering, AOI / X-ray coverage, conformal coating and other PCBA processes.
• Investigate and resolve issues with new designs and prototypes through assembly, testing, and system integration.
• Own technical deliverables for CM onboarding, including process requirements, yield targets, test coverage, and quality control plans.
• Identify and qualify quick-turn vendors to support prototype and early build activities, ensuring rapid iterations and feedback into design.
• Develop and implement second-sourcing strategies to drive cost reduction and ensure supply continuity for critical components and processes.
• Create, review, and submit engineering change orders (ECOs) to release design and process changes to improve manufacturability / serviceability.
• Evaluate technical readiness before release and conduct Technical Readiness (TR) reviews with cross-functional teams.
• Conduct BOM risk assessment, component testing, second sourcing, and manage Product Change Notifications (PCN) and qualifications.
• Improve manufacturing operations to enhance efficiency, consistency, and cost-effectiveness while ensuring high product quality.
• Generate and maintain manufacturing documentation (BOMs, ECOs, test procedures, visual aids, specifications).
• Drive value engineering and cost reduction activities to optimize product lifecycle costs.
• Travel to CM sites (~25-40%) for builds, process qualifications, and troubleshooting.

Required Qualifications

• We are seeking a highly capable New Product Introduction Engineer who has :
• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering , or equivalent discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in NPI and PCBA manufacturing engineering
• Deep knowledge of SMT processes, reflow soldering, wave / selective soldering, conformal coating, and in-circuit / functional test methods .
• Hands-on experience with DFM / DFT tools, Gerber / ODB++ analysis, and PCBA CAD data review .
• Proficiency in DFx principles : DFM, DFT, DFQ, DFR, DFC.
• Strong knowledge of complex system-level debugging and root cause analysis.
• Expertise in ECO, BOM, and deviation processes.
• Knowledge of manufacturing, test, quality, and reliability best practices.
• Ability to establish technical direction through the investigation and evaluation of new manufacturing technologies.
• Strong working knowledge of industry manufacturing standards such as IPC and JEDEC.
• Experience with process development, characterization, and pFMEA.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience with automation technologies and robotics in manufacturing processes to improve efficiency and scalability.
• Six Sigma Black Belt, or Lean Manufacturing certification.
• Proven track record driving PCBA NPI strategy at a fast-growing hardware company.

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