Planning Engineer - PCB Manufacturing

About the Opportunity: An established advanced manufacturing organization is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to support the planning and execution of complex printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing programs. This individual will serve as a critical link between customer requirements and production, ensuring products are designed and released for efficient, high-quality manufacturing. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of PCB fabrication processes, excellent technical problem-solving abilities, and experience reviewing engineering documentation to determine manufacturability and production requirements. This role collaborates closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Operations, and customer stakeholders to ensure customer expectations are translated into clear, accurate manufacturing instructions. Key Responsibilities: - Review customer drawings, specifications, Gerber files, and technical documentation to evaluate manufacturability and identify potential production risks. - Analyze customer requirements and engineering packages to ensure all technical, quality, and compliance requirements are properly captured. - Develop manufacturing plans, process routing, tooling requirements, and production instructions for printed circuit board fabrication. - Create and maintain manufacturing documentation, travelers, work instructions, and production records. - Develop PCB stack-ups and support impedance-controlled designs when required. - Partner with engineering and production teams to resolve manufacturing challenges and improve overall product manufacturability. - Communicate directly with customers to clarify technical requirements and recommend practical manufacturing solutions. - Support production release activities by ensuring documentation is complete, accurate, and aligned with customer specifications. - Participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on manufacturing efficiency, quality, and process standardization. - Provide technical support to cross-functional teams throughout the manufacturing lifecycle. Required Qualifications: - 5+ years of experience in PCB manufacturing, process engineering, manufacturing engineering, planning engineering, or a related technical role. - Strong knowledge of rigid, flex, and rigid-flex printed circuit board manufacturing processes. - Experience reviewing engineering drawings, customer specifications, Gerber data, and manufacturing documentation. - Understanding of PCB materials, fabrication methods, stack-up design, controlled impedance, and manufacturing constraints. - Ability to assess manufacturability and identify potential technical or process-related risks. - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate complex technical requirements. - Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate with customers and internal stakeholders. - Experience working within a fast-paced manufacturing environment while managing multiple priorities. - Proficiency with Microsoft Office and manufacturing systems/software tools. Preferred Qualifications: - Experience supporting aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments. - Familiarity with IPC standards, military specifications, and customer flow-down requirements. - Experience with PCB CAM software, including Valor Genesis or similar platforms. - Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, Electronics, or a related field. - Experience supporting new product introduction (NPI) and engineering change processes. Ideal Candidate Profile: We are looking for a hands-on manufacturing professional who can confidently evaluate customer requirements, develop effective manufacturing plans, and serve as a technical resource throughout the production process. The successful candidate will be detail-oriented, customer-focused, and capable of balancing quality, manufacturability, and production efficiency. Additional Skills & Qualifications - Experience supporting aerospace, defense, military, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments. - Familiarity with IPC standards, military specifications, and customer flow-down requirements. - Experience with PCB engineering, CAM, or manufacturing software such as Valor Genesis, ProCIM, or similar systems. - Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Electronics, Manufacturing Technology, or a related technical field. - Experience supporting complex, high-reliability PCB products from order review through production release. Job Type & Location This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Santa Ana, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $55.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision
Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
Short and long-term disability
Health Spending Account (HSA)
Transportation benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Santa Ana, CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Oct 26, 2026.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Santa Ana,CA. About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without
regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected
by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or
adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,
please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the
city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants
with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a
condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law
shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,
including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications
and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you
acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.