Quality Inspection Technician, PCBA

The role

The Incoming Quality Technician manages daily operations of the Incoming Inspection Room. This person verifies incoming PCBs, PCBAs, machined and welded mechanical parts, and other supplier materials against drawings and approved inspection requirements.

What you will do

• Inspect incoming PCB/PCBA and mechanical parts against drawings and specifications.
• Apply part pedigree requirements and verify supplier documentation.
• Manage the Incoming Inspection Room, measurement tools, and calibration schedules.
• Maintain ESD controls and handling practices.
• Record inspection results and material traceability in the manufacturing system.
• Identify and transfer nonconforming material to the MRB cage.
• Provide dimensional measurement and product verification for engineering samples and prototypes.
• Conduct Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility studies.
• Share inspection data with Engineering and suppliers to support DFM improvements.

Required qualifications

• 3+ years of hands-on incoming or quality inspection experience with PCB/PCBA and/or mechanical parts.
• Working knowledge of IPC-A-600 / IPC-A-610 acceptance criteria and ESD controls and handling practices.
• Proficiency in interpreting PCB/PCBA and complex mechanical engineering drawings, including GD&T, datum references, dimensional tolerances, and critical characteristics.
• Ability to follow risk-based inspection plans, including 100% inspection and AQL sampling.
• Hands-on proficiency with precision measurement and inspection equipment, including handheld tools, VMMs, optical inspection systems, and custom fixtures.
• Experience managing calibration schedules, status tracking, and records.
• Experience identifying and documenting nonconforming materials.
• Experience communicating quality issues to Supplier Quality (SQE) and Engineering.
• Experience using Manufacturo or similar ERP/MES systems to record inspection results, maintain material traceability, and manage NCR/MRB processes.

Nice to have

• Experience in aerospace, high-reliability electronics, or electromechanical manufacturing.
• Familiarity with AS9100.
• Experience managing calibration programs using ISO/IEC 17025-accredited calibration providers.
• Supporting Gage R&R or other measurement system studies.
• Familiarity with APQP, PPAP, AS9102 FAI, and different quality and inspection requirements based on part pedigree.
• Experience with PCB/ PCBA inspection (e.g., bow/twist, holes, plating, surface finish) and mechanical machining or weld inspection.
• IPC-A-600 or IPC-A-610 certification.
• Experience with CMM

About the company

Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company building a global network of phased array and parabolic ground stations. They use a vertically integrated approach to design, build, and deploy scalable systems for space missions.