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Principal Advanced Manufacturing Engineer

Precision Optics Corporation Inc · Littleton, MA

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Level
Senior
Team
Manufacturing
Travel
15%
Degree
Required (or equivalent experience)
Experience asked
15+ years
Certification
Black Belt preferred
Industry
Industrial
Posted
Recently

The role in 30 seconds

A senior manufacturing role at Precision Optics Corporation Inc (industrial) in Littleton, MA. Develop, implement and improve manufacturing capabilities.

They ask for
15+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience) · Black Belt preferred
Tools it names
Six Sigma, Black Belt, DOE, FDA / GMP, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), Tooling
Day to day
about 15% travel

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026

Manufacturing Engineer roles in Massachusetts: typical posted base $100k–$145k.

Median of the low and high ends of 32 live postings that list pay, out of 68 manufacturing engineer openings in Massachusetts, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

Massachusetts plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 67 other live manufacturing postings in Massachusetts.

Base pay
Not listed in this posting

Typical $95k–$137k, from 28 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
More than usual (15+ vs 5+)

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • ✓ Tooling 54%
  • Lean 51%
  • Automation 44%
  • Root cause 37%
  • ✓ Six Sigma 35%
  • SolidWorks 35%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for Black Belt, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.

It asks for 15+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

  1. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Precision Optics Corporation Inc

    Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.

  2. 2

    Send a short, curious note

    One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.

  3. 3

    Turn a reply into a short call

    Questions worth asking about this team:

    • What does a normal week look like on your team?
    • Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
    • How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
    • The posting says about 15% travel. Between which sites?
    • The posting mentions a Black Belt. Does the company sponsor certification?
  4. 4

    Apply with someone vouching for you

    If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.

  5. 5

    Bring proof to the interview

    One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

Full description from Precision Optics Corporation IncAs posted on their careers site.Show

Requirements

  • ✓Requires a minimum of 10-15 years’ related experience
  • ✓Demonstrated experience with complex electro-mechanical and/or opto-mechanical products and manufacturing processes is required, low to medium volume is preferred
  • ✓Demonstrated experience with disposable or single-use devices is preferred
  • ✓Works on complex problems in which analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of various factors.
  • ✓Exercises judgment within broadly defined practices and policies in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.
  • ✓May determine methods and procedures on new assignments and may provide guidance to other lower-level personnel. Must be competent with Word, Excel, Project, Power Point applications.
  • ✓Experience with Design of Experiments and statistical analysis packages.

Requirements

  • ✓Requires a Bachelor/Master’s degree (or equivalent) in engineering or related discipline
  • ✓Six Sigma, Black Belt Certification is a strong plus

Supervisory Responsibility

Lead a small team of Manufacturing Engineers

Working Conditions

This job operates in manufacturing and engineering laboratory environments including ISO class 7 cleanrooms. PPE required when in controlled environment rooms or cleanrooms.

Physical surroundings

This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. Manufacturing & laboratory environments require the use of electrical and mechanical equipment and tools.

Physical Effort

While performing duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, manufacturing tools, equipment, products, and systems; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear.

Work Schedule / Travel

In-person, Monday to Friday; occasional travel of 10-15%. Occasional presence at other locations to include Gardner, MA & Portland ME

Other

Requirements

Applicants must have US citizenship or US person status.

Show full description ↓

Description

Lead design transfer out of R&D. Develop, implement and improve manufacturing capabilities. Assist Manufacturing capabilities in productivity, product quality and cost through the development and implementation of novel and effective methods, tools, equipment, and processes. Contribute to product design improvements intended to achieve higher reliability, serviceability, and manufacturability. Train technicians and manufacturing personnel on manufacturing equipment operation, procedures and inspections.

  • •Provide best-practice leadership within product development staff to ensure that products under development are optimally manufacturable that may include but not be limited to mechanical assembly/dimensioning/tolerances, electrical wiring, materials selection and fabrication methods.
  • •Design and develop manufacturing processes for new products, product changes and enhancements, and related tooling and fixtures which are consistent with a zero-defect level as well as low product cost.
  • •Perform Installation Qualification (IQ), Operation Qualification (OQ), Performance Qualification (PQ), and DOEs.
  • •Establish best practices and author manufacturing procedures; develop Bills of Material.
  • •Investigate benefits and features of capital equipment and generate capital appropriation justifications.
  • •Create and maintain accurate documentation of concepts, designs concepts, tool drawings and shop orders in coordination with the Quality Assurance and R&D functions.
  • •Provide engineering support to production department in troubleshooting and resolving technical problems.
  • •Coordinate work with outside vendors, assigned technicians and tool room personnel.
  • •Plan and schedule projects in a manner consistent with corporate objectives.
  • •Support prototype and pilot production of new products, product changes, and enhancements in coordination with the R&D, Manufacturing and Quality Control functions.
  • •Supervise the complete, accurate, and timely preventive maintenance of equipment and tooling.
  • •Supervise production of consumables and hardware: schedule production to meet demand; build, test, package and label finished goods. Coordinate sterilization with Quality Assurance function. Coordinate distribution with the Supply Chain function.
  • •Maintain factory GMP compliance in coordination with the Document Control, R&D, and Quality Assurance functions
  • •Support company goals and objectives, policies and procedures, Good Manufacturing Practices, and FDA regulations
  • •Ensure that all regulatory and internal policies are followed

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