Manufacturing Engineer

This is a contract-to-hire opportunity (conversion to take place in the 3-4 month range)

Position Overview

Seeking a Staff Manufacturing Engineer to serve as a technical leader responsible for enabling scalable, high-rate production of complex aerospace and high-reliability hardware. This role will drive manufacturing strategy, production readiness, Assembly Integration & Test (AI&T), and continuous improvement initiatives while ensuring products meet stringent quality, reliability, cost, and delivery objectives.

The successful candidate will partner closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Production teams to transition products from development into repeatable, production-ready manufacturing environments.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Leadership & Production Strategy

• Serve as the manufacturing owner for complex components, assemblies, and products across multiple programs.
• Develop and implement manufacturing strategies that support production scalability, cost objectives, and delivery commitments.
• Lead capacity planning, production scaling, workflow optimization, and line balancing initiatives.
• Support the transition of products from development into full-rate manufacturing.

Assembly, Integration & Test (AI&T)

• Lead planning and execution of Assembly, Integration & Test activities for mechanical and electromechanical systems.
• Establish standardized integration and testing methodologies to improve repeatability, throughput, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Support module-level and system-level testing activities.

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) & Product Readiness

• Provide manufacturing input throughout product development and formal design reviews.
• Lead Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Design for Test (DFT) initiatives.
• Evaluate manufacturing readiness and approve production configurations, processes, and engineering documentation.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to improve producibility, quality, and cost efficiency.

Manufacturing Process Development

• Develop and optimize manufacturing processes, tooling, fixtures, work instructions, and automation solutions.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Establish and monitor production metrics including:
• • Yield
  • Cycle Time
  • Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
  • First Pass Yield (FPY)
• Drive improvements in manufacturing efficiency, quality, and throughput.

Quality & Non-Conformance Management

• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions related to manufacturing issues and non-conformances.
• Participate in Material Review Board (MRB) activities and disposition decisions.
• Ensure compliance with customer requirements, industry standards, and quality management systems.
• Support implementation of preventive and corrective action programs.

Documentation & Manufacturing Systems

• Develop and maintain manufacturing plans, travelers, work instructions, SOPs, and control documentation.
• Ensure accurate production records, traceability, configuration management, and process documentation.
• Support manufacturing execution and data collection systems.

Production Floor Support

• Provide hands-on technical leadership on the manufacturing floor.
• Troubleshoot complex production issues and remove barriers impacting manufacturing performance.
• Coordinate activities between Production, Engineering, and Quality teams.
• Monitor manufacturing orders and production schedules to support operational goals.

Supply Chain & Production Readiness

• Partner with Supply Chain and Procurement teams to ensure material availability supports production demand.
• Support inventory planning, material tracking, receiving inspection, and production readiness activities.
• Identify and mitigate risks related to suppliers, material shortages, and lead-time constraints.

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

• Mentor manufacturing engineers, technicians, and production personnel.
• Establish manufacturing best practices and technical standards.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for manufacturing engineering and production system challenges.
• Support team development and continuous learning initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 8+ years of manufacturing engineering experience within aerospace, defense, space systems, or other high-reliability manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated experience transitioning products from development into production environments.
• Strong knowledge of:
• • Assembly, Integration & Test (AI&T)
  • Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
  • Design for Assembly (DFA)
  • Design for Test (DFT)
  • Production system design
• Experience leading root cause investigations and non-conformance resolution activities.
• Familiarity with:
• • AS9100 quality standards
  • GD&T
  • Configuration management
  • Aerospace manufacturing practices

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting spacecraft, satellite, propulsion, or aerospace hardware manufacturing.
• Experience developing and implementing manufacturing processes and production systems.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Experience with automated manufacturing equipment and production tooling.
• Programming or manufacturing automation experience.
• Strong communication and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Ability to work effectively in fast-paced, highly technical manufacturing environments.