NPI Assembly Technician

About the role

The NPI Assembly Technician works collaboratively with Design Engineering, Production Engineering, Quality, and Manufacturing to support the introduction of new products into production. This position performs prototype, pilot, and first-production builds; identifies assembly risks and improvement opportunities; and provides practical feedback on product design, tooling, manufacturability, and assembly methods.

The technician also helps develop, validate, and improve work instructions so that new products can be assembled safely, consistently, and efficiently in a production environment.

What you'll do

·   Assemble prototypes, engineering units, pilot builds, and early production units using drawings, specifications, bills of materials, and engineering guidance.

·   Collaborate with Design Engineering to provide hands-on feedback concerning fit, function, accessibility, component selection, tolerances, and design for manufacturability and assembly.

·   Work with Production Engineering to define assembly sequences, tooling, fixtures, equipment, workstation requirements, and standard production methods.

·   Identify assembly difficulties, unclear requirements, quality risks, and opportunities to improve safety, quality, cost, and cycle time.

·   Document build observations, issues, deviations, rework, and recommended corrective actions.

·   Review and validate assembly work instructions, including process steps, photographs, diagrams, inspection points, safety requirements, and critical-to-quality characteristics.

·   Verify that work instructions accurately reflect the approved product design and can be followed consistently by production personnel.

·   Participate in design reviews, build-readiness reviews, prototype evaluations, root-cause investigations, and continuous-improvement activities.

·   Support troubleshooting and resolution of mechanical, electrical, and process-related issues during new product builds.

·   Assist with process qualification, production trials, first-article builds, and the transition from prototype to sustained production.

·   Recommend and evaluate assembly tools, fixtures, gauges, and error-proofing methods.

·   Train and support production assemblers during product launch and process transfer.

·   Maintain accurate build records and follow applicable safety, quality, configuration-control, and change-control procedures.

·   Handle components, assemblies, tools, and equipment in accordance with company standards.

·   Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

·   High school diploma or equivalent.

·   5+ years of experience in advanced assembly, prototype manufacturing, new-product introduction, or a related technical manufacturing role.

·   Ability to interpret engineering drawings, assembly drawings, bills of materials, schematics, specifications, and work instructions.

·   Strong mechanical aptitude and proficiency with hand tools, power tools, measuring equipment, and assembly fixtures.

·   Demonstrated ability to assemble products with limited or evolving documentation.

·   Experience identifying and communicating design, quality, and manufacturing issues.

·   Ability to document technical processes clearly and accurately.

·   Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, and organizational skills.

·   Effective written and verbal communication skills.

·   Ability to collaborate with engineers, technicians, quality personnel, and production employees.

·   Ability to manage changing priorities in a prototype and production environment.

Preferred Qualifications

·   Associate degree, technical diploma, apprenticeship, or equivalent training in manufacturing, mechanical technology, electronics, mechatronics, or a related field.

·   Experience with NPI, prototype builds, pilot production, or manufacturing process development.

·   Experience creating visual work instructions or standard operating procedures.

·   Knowledge of design for manufacturability and assembly principles.

·   Familiarity with lean manufacturing, 5S, root-cause analysis, and continuous-improvement methods.

·   Experience with document-control, product lifecycle management, manufacturing execution, or enterprise resource planning systems.

·   Experience with inspection tools and methods, such as calipers, micrometers, torque tools, gauges, or electrical test equipment.

·   Experience training or mentoring production assemblers.