Lead Production Engineer

At Senra Systems, we believe that the future of manufacturing lies not in automation, but in configuration. We supercharge electrical wire harness manufacturing through software configuration, transforming skilled assembly tasks into high-throughput production lines. We enable customers to design what they want, when they want it and deliver harness builds at record-breaking speed. We’re building a dedicated Production Engineering function at Senra Systems from the ground up, and we need a leader to own it. As Lead Production Engineer, you will define how Production Engineering operates day-to-day, hire and develop a team of Production Engineers, and serve as the primary bridge between Production and Manufacturing Engineering teams. This is a player-coach role – you carry your own technical workload while growing the people around you. Where Manufacturing Engineers own the front end – BOMs, Engineering Masters, work instructions, formboards – you own execution. Your team is the technical backbone of the production floor: troubleshooting builds in real time, dispositioning NCRs, supporting first articles, and ensuring every kit that hits a workbench is accurate and ready to work. This role reports directly to the Manufacturing Engineering Manager and works cross-functionally with the Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Production teams. What you'll own: Team Leadership & Development Hire, onboard, and develop a team of Production Engineers; set clear performance expectations and build a high-accountability team culture Hold regular 1:1s with your team; understand their development goals and actively create growth opportunities Define escalation paths clearly – what PEs handle, what comes to you, and what goes to ME or Quality Floor Technical Authority Serve as the senior technical escalation point for complex production issues, difficult NCR dispositions, and critical first article reviews Maintain hands-on presence; this role leads from the floor, not from a desk Own first article sign-off for the PE team; review and approve PE-initiated dispositions before release ME–PE Interface Own the working relationship between Production Engineering and the ME organization; represent production needs in engineering planning conversations Ensure documentation issues (redlines, work instruction gaps, formboard errors) are tracked, communicated, and resolved with the ME team within defined SLAs Provide structured feedback to ME leads on recurring documentation or DFM issues surfaced during production NCR Performance & Quality Own PE team NCR disposition SLA performance; track aging and report weekly to the Manufacturing Engineering Manager Drive root cause and corrective action on repeat non-conformances; close the loop with production and quality Partner with Quality on workmanship trends, inspection holds, and systemic issues requiring cross-functional action Kitting & Material Flow Oversight Oversee kit verification processes and ensure the PE team is catching discrepancies before they reach the floor Identify systemic kitting gaps and escalate to ME and supply chain with data-backed recommendations Metrics & Reporting Track and report PE team performance weekly: NCR disposition SLA, first article cycle time, open issue aging Provide commentary on trends, risks, and improvement actions – not just raw numbers Process Development Define and document how Production Engineering operates at Senra – standard workflows, escalation paths, and handoff protocols with ME – particularly as Factory Two scales up Identify and lead targeted process improvement initiatives that reduce rework, floor disruptions, or NCR volume What you'll bring to the team: 5+ years in wire harness or cable assembly manufacturing, with at least 2 years in a senior, lead, or manager-level role Deep knowledge of wire harness assembly processes: wire prep, crimping, soldering, backshell assembly, harness routing, and electrical testing Strong working knowledge of IPC/WH