Lead Manufacturing Technician at Leonardo DRS, Inc. in Madison, WI

Job ID: 115288

DRS Daylight Solutions business provides industry-changing mid-infrared laser light technology for government and commercial markets, including: defense and security; life sciences; and industrial process control. As a mid-IR technology pioneer, Daylight Solutions has delivered more mid-IR systems to more applications world-wide than any other company.

Job Summary

As a Lead Manufacturing Technician, you will be responsible for the assembly, precise alignment, and testing of optoelectronic components and subassemblies in a production environment. This role involves leadership responsibilities, including training new team members, diagnosing malfunctions, performing complex assemblies, and ensuring compliance with all safety and regulatory requirements.

Job Responsibilities

• Assemble, align, and test optoelectronic components and subassemblies in a production environment.
• Execute repeatable production build processes for optical, electro-optical, and electromechanical hardware in accordance with released work instructions and manufacturing documentation.
• Conduct in-process and final functional testing of optoelectronic hardware to verify conformance to product acceptance criteria and manufacturing requirements.
• Troubleshoot electrical, optical, and mechanical faults encountered during production and implement corrective actions within established procedures.
• Perform preventative and corrective maintenance on production equipment, tooling, and test stations.
• Support the transition of prototype and development hardware into repeatable, controlled manufacturing processes for production use.
• Ensure strict compliance with all safety, ESD, laser safety, regulatory, and company requirements in accordance with applicable State and Federal regulations.
• Maintain accurate production records, inspection results, rework documentation, and nonconformance data in accordance with quality system requirements.
• Lead on-the-job training and mentorship of new team members on production methods, workmanship standards, and safe handling of optoelectronic hardware.
• Meet established production KPIs related to schedule attainment, yield, product quality, rework reduction, inventory control, and compliance performance.
• Interpret and follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), work instructions, control plans, and safety rules in accordance with our AS9100 quality standards to ensure consistent manufacturing execution.
• Support, communicate, reinforce, and defend the mission, values, and culture of the organization.

Qualifications

• Requires an associate’s degree in a technical discipline and 8+ years of equivalent experience in the field or in a related area.
• Experience using precision optical, mechanical, and electrical measurement instrumentation (i.e., beam profile cameras, power meters, dial indicators, micrometers, calipers, and oscilloscopes).
• Must demonstrate strong decision-making and leadership skills.
• Experience handling small, delicate components, using Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) best practices.
• Experience in the use of various computer applications, including Excel.
• Must be experienced in the safe handling of chemicals.
• Strong mechanical skills are required.
• Experience cleaning optics is a plus.
• Soldering and wire bonding experience is a plus.
• Experience with Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems is a plus.

The salary range for this position is $28.87/hour - $41.28/hour. This range reflects the good faith estimate of pay the employer is willing to offer at the time of posting. Several factors can influence the pay scale, including but not limited to: Federal contract labor categories and contract wage rates, collective bargaining agreements, geographic location, business considerations, scope, and responsibilities of the position, local or other applicable market conditions, and internal equity. Other factors include the candidate’s qualifications such as prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education/training, and certifications. In addition to base pay, employees may be eligible for: annual performance-based bonuses, equity awards, and overtime pay (for non-exempt employees as applicable. Our benefits package includes comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision), employer matching 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off including vacation, holidays, and sick leave (including ant state-mandated paid sick leave), parental leave benefits, tuition reimbursement, professional development support, and life and disability insurance coverage.

Taking care of our people is a top priority at Leonardo DRS. We are proud to offer competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a company contribution to a health savings account, telemedicine, life and disability insurance, legal insurance, and a 401(k) savings plan. We champion wellness programs that focus on physical, emotional, and financial well-being. We develop our talent by offering programs and activities to support career-growth, professional development, and skill enhancement. And we understand there is more to life than work, and the importance of offering flexible work schedules with our 9/80 program, competitive vacation, health/emergency leave, paid parental leave, and community service hours. *Some employees are eligible for limited benefits only

Leonardo DRS, Inc. and its subsidiaries provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.