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Thick Film Printer Technician – Level 3

Full Time + Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k with Company Match, PTO)

Job Type: Onsite

Hourly Range: $28.00 - $36.00, DOE

Shift: 1st

Location: Poway, CA  

Fralock is an engineered solutions provider of specialty components and subassemblies using advanced materials for high reliability, severe environment, and technically challenging applications. We develop and manufacture custom integrated solutions. Established in 1967, we are a critical solutions provider to Fortune 500 corporations, government, and targeted OEMs in a variety of industries including Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturing, Medical and Life Science, Aerospace and Defense, Industrial, Electronics, and Energy. Fralock is headquartered in Valencia, CA with manufacturing locations located throughout Northern and Southern California.

VISION

To be recognized by our customers as a leading solutions provider of proprietary engineered advanced materials for high reliability, severe environment, and technically challenging applications.

MISSION

To create value, profitably grow, and share our success with all stakeholders.

CULTURE

• Respect – We treat others the way they want to be treated.
• Integrity – We practice a high standard of ethics in our business dealings with customers, suppliers and employees.
• Responsiveness – We have a sense of urgency in responding to internal and external requests and work proactively to solve problems.
• Excellence/Competence – We empower our people to continuously improve and execute high quality work.
• Teamwork – We work together to achieve Fralock business objectives by communicating at a high level, by listening and having clarity in our expectations of one another. 
• Individual Accountability and Personal Responsibility – We do what we have committed to do when we committed to doing it.
• Continuous Improvement across all segments of the company

This position requires access to information controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the successful candidate must be a "U.S. person" as defined in the ITAR and EAR (which generally means (i) be a citizen or national of the United States; or (ii) be a lawful permanent resident of the United States; or (iii) have been admitted to the United States as a refugee, or have been granted asylum, as specified under applicable law.

Main Functions

We are seeking an experienced and highly skilled Thick Film Printer Technician - Level 3 to join our technical manufacturing team. In this advanced role, you will be responsible for setting up, operating, calibrating, and troubleshooting complex thick film screen printers and associated drying/firing equipment.

The ideal candidate acts as a subject matter expert on the floor, optimizing print parameters, resolving complex paste and substrate defects, leading continuous improvement initiatives, and driving production excellence with a strong emphasis on precision and compliance.

Key Responsibilities 

• Advanced Setup & Operation: Perform complex setups, register calibrations, and precise alignment on automated thick film screen printers for high-density, multi-layer microelectronic or ceramic circuits.
• Process Optimization & Troubleshooting: Diagnose and resolve complex printing defects (e.g., smearing, bleeding, pinholes, thickness variations, screen wear) by adjusting snap-off distance, squeegee pressure, speed, and emulsion parameters.
• Ink & Material Management: Manage specialized conductive/resistive Inks, overseeing viscosity checks, mixing, shelf-life compliance, and proper screen reclamation/storage.
• Equipment Maintenance & Calibration: Perform advanced preventative maintenance, optical alignment checks, and mechanical/pneumatic troubleshooting on printer platforms, IR furnaces, and dryers.
• Technical Leadership & Mentoring: Serve as the technical point of contact (SME) and provide hands-on training, guidance, and coaching to operators and junior processing staff.
• Continuous Improvement & Quality: Lead Lean manufacturing, yield-improvement, and Root Cause Problem Solving (RCPS) initiatives to minimize scrap and enhance throughput yield.
• Documentation & Compliance: Ensure strict adherence to traveler instructions, process specifications, ITAR/CMMC security mandates, and accurate record-keeping in quality and ERP systems.

Required Skills

• Technical Expertise:

• Deep mastery of thick film screen printing theory, screen mechanics, emulsion types, and mesh tensioning.
• Advanced capability to analyze fine-line resolution, wet/dry film thickness, and registration tolerances using optical microscopes and profilometers.
• Strong mechanical and electro-pneumatic troubleshooting skills for automated printing machinery and auxiliary dryers/furnaces.
• In-depth knowledge of rheology, paste characteristics, and substrate preparation (e.g., alumina, ceramics, technical substrates).

• Core Competencies:

• Exceptional analytical and root-cause problem-solving skills for resolving complex print yield and material failures.
• Effective leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills for training and mentoring shop-floor personnel.
• High attention to detail and rigorous commitment to quality control and process repeatability.
• Demonstrated organizational ability to manage multiple printing lots, tool changes, and project timelines simultaneously.

Education Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED required.

Experience Requirements

• Minimum of5 to 8+ years of hands-on experience operating and maintaining thick film screen printers (e.g., Keko, MPM, EKRA) within a precision manufacturing or microelectronics environment.
• Expertise in setting up and operating automated vision-alignment screen printers.
• Strong familiarity with high-temperature drying ovens, belt furnaces, and firing profiles.
• Proficiency with precision measurement tools (micrometers, calipers, optical comparators, profilometers).
• Working knowledge of ERP/MES manufacturing tracking systems and Microsoft Office Suite.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand for long periods, perform repetitive fine-motor tasks, use precision microscopes, and lift unto 30 lbs. regularly. Flexibility to work assigned shifts and overtime as production demands.