Design Engineer II (New Product Development)

Join UCT and be part of the fastest-growing sector in the world! We indirectly touch every semiconductor chip that goes into every smartphone, smart car, and device that uses artificial intelligence. This is a critical time for the semiconductor industry and for UCT - as technology evolves, we evolve with it. UCT is a diverse workplace where every talented employee is committed to continuous innovation, challenging the status quo and exceeding customer expectations. If you are a person with a relentless drive to succeed, a strong focus on quality with a passion for success – join us today!  

UCT is looking for a talented Design Engineer II to join us in Hayward, CA!

Job Summary:

The New Product Development Engineer serves as the technical owner for products transitioning from development into manufacturing and customer deployment. This role is responsible for supporting NPI programs, managing product execution throughout the product lifecycle, and acting as the primary customer facing technical resource for field issues, product escalations, and early life production support.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Supports the introduction of new products from design release through prototype, qualification, and production implementation.
• Serves as the primary engineering resource for build follow activities, ensuring products are manufactured in accordance with engineering intent and customer requirements.
• Works closely with Design Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality teams to resolve technical and production-related issues.
• Investigates product, process, and manufacturing issues and implements corrective actions to improve quality, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Reviews engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material (BOMs), and manufacturing documentation for accuracy and completeness.
• Supports prototype builds, first article inspections, qualification activities, and validation testing.
• Coordinates engineering change requests (ECRs), engineering change orders (ECOs), and documentation updates.
• Assists with product transfers, process improvements, and manufacturing readiness activities.
• Performs root cause investigations and supports corrective and preventive action (CAPA) implementation.
• Evaluates manufacturing feedback and provides recommendations for product and process improvements.
• Supports account managers and operations personnel in addressing customer technical inquiries and product related concerns.
• Participates in design reviews and cross-functional project meetings.
• Provides engineering support for existing product lines while assisting with new product development activities.
• Serve as the primary technical contact for customers on New Product Introduction (NPI) and early-life production products.
• Supports troubleshooting activities on customer tools, either remotely or on site, to identify root cause and drive timely resolution.
• Communicate technical findings, corrective actions, and project status updates directly to customer engineering and operations teams.
• Track and manage field issues through closure, ensuring customer concerns are addressed promptly and effectively.
• Maintain strong working relationships with key customer stakeholders and serve as the voice of the customer within the organization.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing processes and engineering documentation.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and assembly documentation.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, operations, quality, and supply chain personnel.
• Customer-focused mindset with the ability to balance technical and business requirements.
• Working knowledge of CAD software, including:

• Autodesk Inventor
• AutoCAD
• SolidWorks

• Understanding of product lifecycle management systems such as Agile or equivalent preferred.
• Working knowledge of SAP or ERP systems preferred.
• Familiarity with root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Basic understanding of thermal products, electrical assemblies, instrumentation, or semiconductor equipment is preferred.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Educational/Certification Requirement:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical discipline preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.

Experience Requirement:

Work Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of engineering experience in manufacturing, production, product engineering, sustaining engineering, design engineering, or related technical environments.
• Experience supporting new product introductions, prototype builds, manufacturing implementation, or product launch activities preferred.
• Experience with engineering change management, process improvement, and production support is desirable.
• Experience in semiconductor, thermal product, industrial equipment, instrumentation, or related industries is preferred but not required.
• Experience working in engineer-to-order, high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments is a plus.
• Experience supporting cross-functional teams including engineering, manufacturing, quality, operations, and supply chain preferred.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

Work Environment:

• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Ability to operate successfully in a fast-paced engineering and manufacturing environment.
• Fluent in verbal and written English.
• Ability to collaborate with teams across different locations and time zones.

Physical Demands:

• Work may require the ability to lift 10-20 pounds infrequently.
• Ability to attend meetings and use a computer for extended periods of time.
• Frequent interaction with manufacturing operations and production personnel may be required.

Environmental Exposure:

• May involve exposure to moderate noise levels from manufacturing process equipment.
• May have exposure to manufacturing materials including silicones, fiberglass, epoxies, and other production related materials.

Overnight Travel:

• Valid passport preferred or ability to obtain one.
• Occasional domestic or international travel for training, customer visits, or engineering support activities may be required.
• Ability to travel to customer sites as required to support product launches, field troubleshooting, qualification activities, and customer escalations.
• Travel is expected to be limited and dependent on business needs.

Role Progression Expectations:

The New Product Development Engineer is expected is expected to develop expertise in product manufacturing, sustaining engineering, customer support, and product introduction processes. The role will progressively assume ownership of increasingly complex products, manufacturing support activities, field issue resolution, engineering changes, and cross-functional project execution.

Ultra Clean Technology is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, marital status, and any other characteristic protected under laws and regulations.

The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $74,900.00 and $120,000.00/year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including variable pay and discretionary awards in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as PTO (Paid Time Off) and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these additional compensation and benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.  

If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.