Production Engineer

Job Description

We are looking for a Production Engineer or Industrialization Specialist to support the development and implementation of local manufacturing and assembly strategies for ZTE’s telecommunications products in Brazil.

The primary focus of this position will be to evaluate and enable the local production of Wireless RAN and Microwave (MW) equipment , including radio units, baseband units, antennas, transmission equipment, cabinets, power systems, accessories, and related components.

This professional will act as a key interface among Engineering, Product Management, Procurement, Supply Chain, Tax, Logistics, Finance, local manufacturing partners, and ZTE’s global teams.

The position requires a combination of industrial engineering, product-cost analysis, tax knowledge, and project coordination. The professional will be responsible for developing feasible local-production models, ensuring compliance with Brazilian industrial and tax regulations, and evaluating the effects of the Brazilian Tax Reform on manufacturing costs, tax credits, sourcing strategies, and product competitiveness.

Main Responsibilities

Local Production and Industrialization

• Evaluate Wireless RAN and Microwave product families for potential local manufacturing, assembly, integration, configuration, testing, and repair in Brazil.
• Develop industrialization strategies for radio units, baseband equipment, antennas, microwave radios, indoor and outdoor units, cabinets, power systems, and related telecom products.
• Analyze different production models, including local manufacturing, outsourced manufacturing, contract manufacturing, CKD/SKD assembly, and partial localization of components.
• Coordinate the implementation of local production projects from feasibility study through pilot production and mass production.
• Define production workflows, assembly sequences, testing procedures, quality checkpoints, required tooling, labor demand, and factory capacity.
• Prepare industrial process flowcharts, work instructions, technical reports, and project documentation.
• Support prototype, pilot, first-article, and production-validation activities.
• Monitor production performance, lead time, yield, quality indicators, manufacturing costs, and corrective-action plans.

Product Localization and Cost Analysis

• Review product BOMs to identify opportunities for local sourcing, component substitution, process simplification, and cost reduction.
• Develop localization roadmaps for selected Wireless RAN and Microwave products.
• Perform make-or-buy analyses and compare imported-product costs with local-production scenarios.
• Prepare business cases covering investment requirements, production volume, manufacturing costs, tax impacts, logistics costs, and expected financial returns.
• Identify Brazilian suppliers and manufacturing partners capable of meeting ZTE’s technical, quality, cost, capacity, and compliance requirements.
• Coordinate technical alignment between Brazilian suppliers, outsourced factories, and ZTE’s global R&D and product teams.
• Support negotiations with contract manufacturers and monitor their operational and contractual performance.

PPB, Regulatory Compliance and Incentives

• Analyze and implement applicable Basic Productive Process (PPB) requirements for telecommunications and electronic products.
• Evaluate industrial and regional incentive structures, including projects involving SUFRAMA and the Manaus Free Trade Zone , when applicable.
• Monitor compliance with production stages, local-content requirements, investment commitments, documentation, and traceability obligations.
• Support applications, technical projects, reports, and evidence required by government authorities and incentive programs.
• Ensure alignment among BOM structure, manufacturing processes, import records, production orders, inventories, and tax documentation.
• Support ANATEL-related product-compliance activities when they interact with industrialization, local configuration, or product modifications.
• Assist internal and external audits and inspections conducted by SUFRAMA, Receita Federal, SEFAZ, and other regulatory authorities.

Tax Processes and Brazilian Tax Reform

• Evaluate the tax impacts of local production versus importation for Wireless RAN and Microwave products.
• Support the correct classification of products, components, kits, and raw materials under the NCM .
• Coordinate the preparation and validation of the FCI – Import Content Statement , when applicable.
• Work closely with the Tax team to ensure the correct application and recovery of tax credits throughout the manufacturin