Electrical Engineering Technician

Electrical Engineering Technician

The Electrical Engineering Technician – Systems Test provides hands-on electrical and electromechanical support for optical assembly and test operations across both Class 100 (Molecular Cleanroom) and Class 10,000 cleanroom environments. This role is responsible for troubleshooting and resolving motor control, cabling, wiring harness, and instrumentation issues on custom metrology benches and production equipment. The technician will support daily production and test bench operations, occasionally assist with new product introduction (NPI) and new bench builds, and provide infrequent support to other departments.

Day to Day Responsibilities:

• Provide hands-on electrical technical support for daily production and test bench operations, including rapid response to motor control, cable, and wiring harness issues
• Troubleshoot and repair servo/stepper motor systems, motion controllers, encoders, and feedback devices
• Diagnose circuit-level issues on production and test equipment
• Fabricate, modify, and repair cable and wiring harness assemblies
• Perform cable testing including continuity, hi-pot, and insulation resistance verification
• Create and redline wiring diagrams, schematics, and pinout documentation
• Support new bench builds and NPI activities requiring electrical assembly, integration, and validation
• Troubleshoot data acquisition and instrumentation interfaces (GPIB, RS-232/485, USB, Ethernet/TCP-IP, EtherCAT)
• Support PLC troubleshooting (Allen-Bradley, Beckhoff, or similar) and interpret ladder logic as needed
• Perform soldering and rework activities to IPC-A-610 / J-STD-001 standards
• Address power distribution, grounding, shielding, and EMI/ESD mitigation concerns
• Provide occasional electrical support to other departments as needed
• Collaborate closely with assemblers, test technicians, engineers (electrical, mechanical, optical, software), and production leadership
• Maintain housekeeping standards and support autonomous maintenance of work areas and equipment
• Demonstrate flexibility to support off-shift production needs when required
• Follow and promote safe work practices, cleanroom protocols, ESD controls, and laser safety practices (ANSI Z136) where applicable

Required Qualifications:

• Associate's degree in Electronics or Electrical Engineering Technology (or equivalent military/technical training)
• 3+ years of hands-on electrical technician experience, preferably in a low-volume, high-mix manufacturing or R&D environment
• Strong circuit troubleshooting skills using multimeters, oscilloscopes, function generators, and logic analyzers
• Proficiency with soldering and rework, including through-hole, surface mount (SMT), and fine-pitch work
• Working knowledge of AC/DC power distribution, grounding, shielding, and EMI/ESD mitigation
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting servo and stepper motor systems including drives, encoders, and controllers
• Familiarity with motion controllers such as Galil, Newport, and similar (Aerotech, ACS, Delta Tau, etc.)
• Experience with motion feedback devices — encoders (incremental/absolute), resolvers, limit/home switches
• Working knowledge of PID tuning, homing routines, and diagnosing following errors
• Understanding of linear stages, rotary stages, and piezo actuators used in optical setups
• Experience fabricating wiring harnesses including crimping, pinning, and connector assembly (D-sub, circular MIL-spec, Molex, JST, etc.)
• Ability to read and interpret wiring diagrams, schematics, and pinout documentation
• Willingness to work in cleanroom production environments
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to prioritize multiple concurrent issues across benches and drive issues to closure
• Self-starter with a strong troubleshooting mindset and attention to detail

Preferred Qualifications:

• IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, and/or IPC/WHMA-A-620 certifications
• PLC troubleshooting experience (Allen-Bradley, Beckhoff, or similar) and ability to read ladder logic
• Experience with communication protocols including serial, TCP/IP, Modbus, EtherCAT, and CANbus
• Understanding of signal integrity fundamentals including noise reduction, differential signaling, and cable routing best practices
• Familiarity with HMI / SCADA systems
• Prior experience working in cleanroom environments (Class 100 / Class 10,000)
• Familiarity with optical test equipment (interferometers, autocollimators, lasers)
• Experience with sensors such as photodiodes, thermistors, RTDs, thermocouples, and load cells
• Familiarity with basic pneumatics and vacuum systems
• Experience writing and updating work instructions and troubleshooting guides
• Familiarity with root cause analysis methodologies (5-Why, fishbone, 8D)
• Basic scripting experience in Python, LabVIEW, or MATLAB for supporting test scripts
• Laser safety awareness (ANSI Z136)

Travel Requirements: < 5%. Typical travel includes special training/networking opportunities and potential vendor visits.

Hours of work: Typical first shift production hours,