Quality Technician – RMA & Failure Analysis
Morgan Hill, CA | Full-time | On-site | Non-exempt (hourly, overtime eligible)
Pay range: $70,000 - $90,000 The salary offered within this range will depend on the candidate’s experience, skills and qualifications.

About the role

Lin Engineering designs and builds precision motors and motion control assemblies for demanding applications, under an AS9100D-certified quality system. We’re looking for a Quality Technician – RMA & Failure Analysis to own our customer return process from first request to final disposition, and to turn every return into quality data that makes our products better.

This role combines hands-on technical work with process ownership. About 60% of your time goes to investigation: screening returned product, troubleshooting at the bench, and finding root cause. The other 40% goes to keeping RMAs moving, working with Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Sales, and Customer Service, and serving as the main technical contact for customers during return investigations. You’ll report to the Head of Quality.

What you’ll do

• Investigate returned product. Verify reported failures, troubleshoot electrical and mechanical issues, and analyze test data, inspection reports, and production and supplier records. Coordinate deeper failure analysis with Engineering, Manufacturing, and suppliers, and write clear, evidence-based failure analysis reports.
• Own the RMA process. Review return requests for completeness, warranty status, and eligibility. Issue RMA documentation and shipping instructions, and track every return through disposition with full lot, date code, and serial number traceability.
• Drive root cause and corrective action. Initiate CAPAs when findings meet escalation criteria and support root cause analysis using 8D, 5 Why, Fishbone, and Fault Tree methods. Track actions to closure, and catch recurring failure trends before they become escapes.
• Be the customer’s technical point of contact. Give timely status updates, deliver failure analysis reports and corrective action summaries, and support customer audits and quality reviews.
• Control returned material. Manage receipt, identification, segregation, and ESD-safe storage. Present material at Material Review Board (MRB) and carry out the approved disposition.
• Report on return performance. Track RMA cycle time, return rates, warranty claims, failure mode Paretos, and cost of poor quality. Build dashboards in Excel and Power BI, and recommend process improvements.
• Keep records audit-ready in our RMA tracking system, SAP, and ComplianceQuest.

Work environment and physical requirements

Work is split between the office, our failure analysis lab, and the manufacturing floor, with about half your time on a computer. You’ll follow ESD control procedures and wear required PPE in ESD-protected areas. The role involves frequent standing and walking, frequent use of hand tools and bench test equipment, and occasional bending, kneeling, and lifting up to 25 lbs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 What you bring

• An associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Electronics Technology, Manufacturing/Industrial Technology, Quality, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience in failure analysis, test, troubleshooting, quality, or technical support on electro-mechanical or electronic products, including owning RMAs, customer complaints, or service cases from intake to closure.
• Proven ability to isolate failures to the component or root-cause level using multimeters, oscilloscopes, and bench test equipment.
• Experience finding root cause with structured methods such as 8D, 5 Why, Fishbone, or Fault Tree Analysis.
• Ability to read engineering drawings, specifications, test reports, and work instructions.
• Clear technical writing, and the ability to explain findings to customers and non-technical colleagues.
• Experience recording cases and transactions in an ERP system and an electronic QMS.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel and Outlook.
• Ability to manage multiple open investigations in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

Nice to have

• Experience with motors, motion control, or other electro-mechanical products
• Experience in an AS9100, ISO 9001, or ISO 13485 environment
• Hands-on SAP and ComplianceQuest experience
• Familiarity with FMEA, SPC, Pareto analysis, and control plans
• Power BI or similar dashboarding experience
• ASQ CQT or CQE certification, or Six Sigma Green Belt or higher