Manufacturing Engineer- Plating

Your Job

Molex is seeking a Process Engineer – Plating to join our high-performing team in Saint Petersburg, Florida. This individual will focus on the development, control, and optimization of electroplating and surface finishing processes, ensuring consistent product quality, process stability, and operational efficiency in a high-volume production environment. The successful candidate will play a key role in driving process improvements, chemical control strategies, equipment performance, and cross-functional initiatives to deliver measurable results in quality, cost, and productivity.

Our Team

Molex leverages technology and innovation to provide advanced electronic solutions across the globe. With operations in over 40 countries, we serve a variety of industries including automotive, medical, data communications, and consumer electronics. The Saint Petersburg facility specializes in high-speed stamping and plating terminals, making this a critical role for our success.

What you will do

• Develop, optimize, and standardize electroplating processes (e.g., nickel, tin etc.) to improve product quality, yield, and cost. Parts will be on strip or loose piece, following plating line reel to reel or barrel plate process.
• Monitor and control plating bath chemistry, including replenishment, contamination control, and analytical testing strategies
• Lead troubleshooting and root cause analysis for defects such as adhesion issues, thickness variation, burning, staining, porosity, and corrosion failures
• Define and document process parameters, operating windows, and work instructions for plating lines
• Partner with production, maintenance, and quality teams to ensure process stability and equipment reliability
• Identify and implement equipment upgrades, automation, and process improvements to increase throughput and reduce downtime
• Support new product introductions (NPI) by developing plating requirements, validating processes, and ensuring production readiness
• Ensure compliance with environmental, health, and safety regulations, including chemical handling, waste treatment, and wastewater management
• Analyze process data (SPC, Cp/Cpk, yield metrics) to drive continuous improvement initiatives
• Provide technical training and support to operators, technicians, and maintenance teams
• Support internal and external audits (IATF 16949, ISO 9001, environmental requirements)

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Materials, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering (or equivalent field)
• Knowledge of chemical analysis methods (titration, Hull cell testing, etc.)
• Strong problem-solving, data analysis, and project management skills
• CAD experience (NX, Autocad or Solid Works)

What Will Put You Ahead

• Experience in manufacturing engineering with direct exposure to plating or surface finishing processes
• Strong understanding of electrochemistry fundamentals and plating mechanisms
• Experience with plating line operations, including reel-to-reel or rack plating systems
• Experience in automotive or high-reliability plating environments (IATF 16949)
• Knowledge of multiple finishing systems (electroplating, passivation, cleaning, etching, etc.)
• Experience with wastewater treatment, environmental compliance, and chemical handling regulations
• Familiarity with SAP or manufacturing systems
• Lean Six Sigma certification or experience driving CI projects
• Experience specifying and commissioning plating equipment or automation
• Understanding of upstream/downstream processes (stamping, molding, assembly)

At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.

Hiring Philosophy

All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here.

Who We Are

As a Koch company, Molex is a leading supplier of connectors and interconnect components, driving innovation in electronics and supporting industries from automotive to health care and consumer to data communications. The thousands of innovators who work for Molex have made us a global electronics leader. Our experienced people, groundbreaking products and leading-edge technologies help us deliver a wider array of solutions to more markets than ever before.

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Our Benefits