Manufacturing Engineer

About the company

Hellbender is a Physical AI infrastructure company that builds integrated edge perception platforms enabling machines to see, understand, and act in real time.

About this role

<p><strong>Who We Are:</strong></p> <p>Hellbender Inc. is a Pennsylvania Benefit Corporation who partners with innovators to mature their Artificial Intelligence enabled computing sensors and produce their solutions onshore at prototype to high volumes.</p> <p>Hellbender is intentionally forming an inclusive work environment and is committed to uplifting the historically marginalized identities including veterans, women, trans and underrepresented races in our community and industry.</p> <p><strong>Job Summary:</strong></p> <p>We are looking for a hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to become an integral part of our growing production team. This is a broad, high-impact role: you will be on the floor supporting day-to-day manufacturing operations, improving and documenting our processes, troubleshooting production issues, and helping scope new work through accurate cost estimation. The right candidate is equally comfortable diving into a build problem mid-shift and sitting down to write a clear work instruction or produce a detailed quote.</p> <p>This role is open at both Mid-Level and Senior levels — your experience and capabilities will determine where you land, with senior candidates expected to take greater ownership of process development and cross-functional initiatives.</p> <p><strong>Duties and Responsibilities:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Day-to-Day Manufacturing Operations</span></p> <ul> <li>Support production floor operations across PCBA and system assembly to ensure builds stay on schedule and meet quality standards</li> <li>Act as a first responder for manufacturing issues — identifying root causes and implementing rapid, effective corrective actions</li> <li>Collaborate with technicians and operators to provide real-time guidance and resolve build blockers</li> <li>Work closely with PMs to track and report key production metrics</li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Process Refinement &amp; Troubleshooting</span></p> <ul> <li>Analyze manufacturing processes and identify opportunities to improve yield, cycle time, throughput, and repeatability</li> <li>Lead structured troubleshooting efforts recurring production issues and implement lasting fixes</li> <li>Design and execute process experiments to validate improvements before full-scale rollout</li> <li>Monitor process controls and quality data; proactively flag and address trends before they become escapes</li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Work Instructions &amp; Documentation</span></p> <ul> <li>Author, revise, and maintain clear, accurate work instructions and SOPs for assembly and test processes</li> <li>Ensure documentation is kept current as processes evolve, and that operators have what they need to execute consistently</li> <li>Contribute to BOM reviews, traveler creation, and engineering change order processes</li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Estimation &amp; Quoting Support</span></p> <ul> <li>Provide manufacturing time and cost estimates for new product builds and customer quotes</li> <li>Review internal and external BOMs, drawings, and requirements to assess manufacturability and flag risk areas early</li> <li>Collaborate with sales and engineering to ensure quotes reflect accurate, achievable production assumptions</li> </ul> <p><strong>Qualifications, Skills, and Attributes:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Required</span></p> <ul> <li>Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field — or equivalent practical experience</li> <li>Mid-Level: 3–5 years | Senior: 6+ years in an electronics or electromechanical manufacturing environment</li> <li>Hands-on experience with PCBA assembly processes, SMT equipment, and/or system-level hardware assembly</li> <li>Proven ability to troubleshoot and resolve production issues independently and under time pressure</li> <li>Experience writing work instructions, SOPs, or similar manufacturing documentation</li> <li>Familiarity with manufacturing cost estimation and quoting processes</li> <li>Strong communication skills — able to work effectively with operators, engineers, and leadership</li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Preferred</span></p> <ul> <li>Experience with IPC-A-610 workmanship standards or IPC-7711/7721 rework</li> <li>Familiarity with systems for production tracking and documentation</li> <li>Exposure to AOI, X-ray, or other in-line inspection technologies</li> <li>Background in robotics, embedded systems, or computer vision hardware</li> <li>Familiarity with ISO 13485 and 9001 quality standards</li> <li>(Senior) Track record of leading process improvement projects from concept through implementation</li> </ul> <p><strong>Job Type</strong>: Full-time</p> <p><strong>Compensation:</strong></p> <p>Compensation to be discussed relative to experience and abilities.</p> <p><strong>Benefits:</strong></p> <ul> <li data-leveltext="●" data-font="Roboto" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"●","469777815":"multilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">401(k)</span></li> <li data-leveltext="●" data-font="Roboto" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"●","469777815":"multilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">5% Safe Harbor Contribution to 401k by Hellbender</li> <li data-leveltext="●" data-font="Roboto" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"●","469777815":"multilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">100% of Health, Dental, and Vision insurance premiums for employees and their families paid by Hellbender</li> <li data-leveltext="●" data-font="Roboto" data-lis