Manufacturing Engineer

Swarm Defense Technologies designs and builds small unmanned aircraft systems for the U.S. Department of Defense. We are headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, where electrical design, firmware, machining, assembly, and flight test all happen under one roof. Our current work is focused on moving production-ready small UAS from prototype to volume delivery on compressed program timelines, and we are building the engineering and manufacturing team to do it.

Swarm Defense is hiring a Manufacturing Engineer to stand up and run our aircraft assembly line. Today we build in small batches. This role is responsible for turning that into a repeatable, documented production process that can scale, and then keeping the line running.

You will design the line layout and stations, write the work instructions, build or specify fixtures and tooling, set up in-process test and inspection, and own line maintenance and continuous improvement. You will work directly with design engineering on manufacturability and with technicians on the floor every day.

• Design and implement assembly line layout, station design, material flow, and takt.
• Write and maintain work instructions, travelers, checklists, and build records.
• Design, build, or source assembly fixtures, tooling, and test stations.
• Set up in-process and end-of-line functional test and inspection; define acceptance criteria with engineering.
• Track yield, cycle time, and defect data; run root-cause and corrective action.
• Provide DFM feedback to design engineering before release.
• Support inventory, kitting, and MRP/ERP setup for production.
• Train and support assembly technicians; enforce ESD, safety, and workmanship standards.
• Coordinate with contract manufacturers and suppliers on incoming quality.

• BS in Manufacturing, Industrial, or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• 3+ years standing up or running an electromechanical assembly process.
• Experience writing work instructions and designing fixtures that technicians actually use.
• Comfortable with CAD for fixture design (Solid Works or equivalent).
• Data-driven: can build a yield dashboard from scratch and act on it.

• Experience with IPC-A-610 workmanship standards and ESD program management.
• Exposure to AS9100 or ISO 9001 quality systems.
• UAS, aerospace, or defense manufacturing background.
• Familiarity with MRP/ERP systems in a small-company setting.
• Hands-on experience with CNC, 3D printing, or other in-house fabrication for tooling.
• Health Insurance:
  We cover 100% of health insurance premiums for our employees.
• 401(k):
  Company retirement plan with employer match.

Swarm Defense is an early-stage defense company, and the pace is set by what the mission requires. The work is hands-on with engineers building what they design, testing it on real aircraft, and owning the result.

We reward initiative and give people ownership of their area. If you want to see your work fly within weeks and you are comfortable operating without a large support structure around you, this is the right environment.