Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Company Overview

Saildrone is a maritime defense company and the global leader in autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). With more ocean miles and real-world operational experience than any USV manufacturer or operator, Saildrone maintains active, combat‑deployed systems supporting national security and force projection around the world, 24/7/365. Saildrone’s manufacturing and R&D headquarters are located in Alameda, CA, with business development and sales operations in Washington, DC, and deployment hubs in Europe and the Middle East.

By combining proven autonomous operations, edge computing, advanced sensing, renewable power, and the most advanced and robust unmanned surface technology on the planet, Saildrone is shaping how the Navy of the future operates. Join a fast‑moving, mission‑driven team at the forefront of maritime security and autonomous innovation.

Saildrone is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to join our Production team. Reporting directly to the Sr. Manager – Manufacturing Engineering, you will play a critical role in scaling the production of our Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) while maintaining quality, efficiency, and repeatability. We are looking for a skilled individual who drives process improvements, implements lean practices, and collaborates closely with production teams to turn complex designs into high‑quality, mission‑ready vehicles.

The Production team is responsible for turning Saildrone’s cutting‑edge designs into reliable, deployable vehicles. We focus on lean, repeatable manufacturing processes that support prototype builds, first‑article validation, and high‑mix production to enable global mission success. Your work directly impacts throughput, quality, and Saildrone’s ability to scale and innovate.

• Lean Production Flow:
  Implement and optimize lean manufacturing processes—including 5S, Visual Management, Plan‑for‑Every‑Part (PFEP), workstation design, and kitting—to achieve high‑efficiency production flows in a high‑mix, low‑volume environment.
• Process Documentation:
  Be accountable for the integration of hardware and software design changes into the production system by updating work instructions, mBOMs, and process documentation with a high degree of responsiveness.
• Harness Production:
  Experience scaling harness production in high‑growth environments to transition low‑volume prototypes into production‑ready processes.
• Quality Assurance:
  Develop and execute quality control inspections and tests to ensure consistent, mission‑ready outputs that meet established maritime and customer standards.
• Capacity Balancing:
  Define and validate standard process times to balance workloads across workstations and technicians, ensuring production targets are met during new product launches and capacity acceleration phases.
• Technical Support & Triage:
  Monitor for assembly line blockers and inefficiencies, taking action to directly troubleshoot issues, collaborate closely with technicians, and unblock production to ensure tactical daily goals are met.
• Contract Manufacturer Management:
  Serve as the primary technical liaison for domestic contract manufacturers, ensuring the successful transfer of specialized processes for PCBAs, harnessing, and electromechanical assembly.
• Design Feedback (DFM/DFA):
  Work closely with Design Engineering during prototype and first‑article builds to provide actionable DFM and DFA feedback, ensuring new products are optimized for scalable production.
• Virtual Factory Integrity:
  Adhere to established "virtual factory" procedures—including Work Orders, inventory moves, and kitting—while proactively identifying and implementing continuous improvement opportunities in collaboration with production teams.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, or related field).
• 5+ years of engineering experience supporting production activities, including ownership of production systems, workstations, and process development in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with New Product Introduction (NPI), including executing product launches through capacity acceleration and production ramp.
• Strong understanding…