Surface Mount Technology (SMT) Group Leader

Job Description


Company Overview

Founded in 1969, Kitchen Brains continually leads the industry in designing, developing, manufacturing, and deploying controls, monitors, sensors, and IoT connectivity for food service outlets and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), reducing costs, driving productivity, and increasing guest satisfaction. Kitchen Brains brands, including (FAST.)®, Modularm®, and  KitchenEssentials, feature a growing number of products that incorporate KitchenKorrect™ IoT/cloud connectivity and can be found in leading QSRs, casual and fine dining restaurants, convenience and grocery stores, schools, hospitals, stadiums, and more globally.

Position Summary

The SMT Group Leader (reporting to the Production Manager) leads the line that handles hardware shipments. As our SMT Group Leader, you’ll run a JUKI SMT line end-to-end—assigning work, keeping materials flowing (FIFO/KANBAN), and owning quality from first article to AOI—while upholding safety, ESD,  and clean - audit-ready standards.  You will be responsible for leading and coaching a high-performing team, troubleshooting, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring smooth shift handoffs using Smartsheet and Qantel.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Monitor team members to ensure compliance with standards of operations.
• Provide leadership for the team.
• Assign tasks and give clear directions on how to perform tasks and duties.
• Motivate workers to enhance production quantity and, at the same time, maintain high production standards.
• Checks finished products to ensure quality of workmanship.
• Keep records of workers' performance; recognize contributions of team members and encourage the team to work together.
• Ensure teams have protective equipment and prioritize the safety of the team; educate the team on safety tips and procedures.
• Ensure the team has all tools to properly follow ESD protocol, i.e, heel straps, smocks, wrist straps when applicable.
• Act as a middleman between team members and management to facilitate healthy communication and have the ability to lead meetings.
• Ensure materials for production are present when needed, performing proper MOS review, including physical verification of inventory.
• Ensure all operating supplies are stocked, including solder paste, stencil wiper rolls, and printer solvent.
• Ensure SMT inventory is properly restocked, and all material is labeled, using the FIFO method, FIRST SYSTEM (KANBAN).
• Ensure that secondary tooling has been put in the proper storage area.
• Understand FIRST SYSTEM and Monitor KANBAN tags in the area assigned, using the FIFO method to track and store FIRST SYSTEM (KANBAN) materials
• Conserve resources by using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.
• Maintains a safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Provide support information for incoming shifts.
• Ability to make decisions based on experience and resolve issues with the key individuals. 
• Participate in CIT meetings and provide input as needed.
• Support other areas of manufacturing as needed to support cross-training. 
• Train all team members to perform the following functions:
  • Turning on all machines, computers, and ventilation for the entire department.
  • How to properly store and order operating supplies such as solder paste, stencil wiper rolls, and printer solvent.
  • Using Smartsheet to determine schedule order, adding necessary comments such as material issues, and tracking status.
  • How to read and understand the process sheet information, including ECL, revisions, label locations on the raw board, special instructions for the SMT department, and processes for a given assembly. etc.
  •  How to use Qantel to verify available inventory, ensure proper values are received using VGMIQ, perform proper MOS review, movement of orders using WIP movement (back flushing orders as completed), and printing S/N labels.
  • Team lead or production manager notification procedures for discrepancies found as soon as they are identified, such as missing material and insufficient in-house stock.
  • Proper loading and unloading practices for setting up JUKI trolleys, including proper handling of material, locating loaded feeders using JUKI IFS software, how to physically load and unload material from feeders and trolley, how to print JUKI labels and refill the label printer when required, and restocking of inventory when taking the last of a part using the FIFO system, submitting FIRST SYSTEM (KANBAN) when appropriate, notifying Manufacturing Engineering and production Manager of defective feeders and trolleys as they occur.
  • How to find/load programs into the SMT lines using the JUKI software, ensuring the correct revision is used.
  • How to set up and maintain the SMT stencil printers, along with basic troubleshooting, i.e., fiducial creation/edits, proper use of board supports, bad prints, clogged apertures, stencil wiper change-over, and solvent refill as required.
  • How to set up and use the automated board loader equipment.
  • How to set up and maintain the JUKI line for a job, including basic troubleshooting, including but not limited to fiducial creation/edits, proper nozzle selection, conveyor width, speed timing, and sensor adjustments, value testing, creating and loading matrix tray parts, proper angle selection, dump bin collection, and evaluation.
  • How to edit the Juki program to add and remove parts to be skipped, as well as how to move placement data to better align the part to the footprint on the board.
  • How to properly power up and select oven recipes, including when, why, and how the center support chain is to be used, as well as basic troubleshooting (alarms, etc.).
  • How to properly perform the First Article verification of an order, including matching the process sheet, AOI program, and QC representative requirements.
  • How to use the AOI equipment to verify that boards are built correctly.  This includes a working knowledge of what information the machine is providing for any errors shown, including but not limited to value, polarity, insufficient solder, tombstoning, skewed placement, in addition to printing tray labels for board carriers.
  • How to operate, clean, and maintain the stencil cleaning machine.
  • How to properly implement a material deviation notification.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Basic knowledge of electronic components and static discharge.    

• Able to understand and operate a computer in a Microsoft Windows environment.

• Understanding of materials handling.

• Able to follow and understand production documents such as process sheets and work instructions.

• Possess an attention to detail.

• Strong organizational skills & time management skills.

• Ability to provide direction to team members.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Adaptable to change and have a flexible mindset.

• Able to operate semiautomatic machines and related equipment. 

• Good Hand/Eye coordination.

• The ability to work in a team environment and assist other team members.

• Willingness to perform other related duties as assigned by management.
  
  
  

Benefits 

• 401(k) matching

• Dental insurance

• Health insurance

• Vision insurance

• Life insurance

• Employee assistance program

• Paid time off

• Referral program
   

Kitchen Brains is an Equal Opportunity Employer.