Manufacturing Engineer

Summary

FIRST RF is seeking a motivated and hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to support translating product designs into repeatable, efficient, and compliant manufacturing processes that enable the successful production of hardware from prototype through full-rate production. This role serves as the bridge between Engineering and Operations, ensuring that products are producible, quality requirements are achieved, manufacturing risks are mitigated, and continuous improvements are implemented to improve safety, quality, cost, and schedule performance.
Key Responsibilities

• Develop, document, and maintain manufacturing processes, work instructions, production BOMs, and production plans
• Partner with Engineering during development to ensure products are manufacturable, testable, and supportable throughout their lifecycle
• Support prototype, EMD, and production builds by providing hands-on technical guidance and resolving manufacturing issues
• Identify and implement tooling, fixtures, equipment, and process improvements that improve efficiency, repeatability, ergonomics, and product quality
• Lead or support root cause investigations and corrective actions related to manufacturing nonconformances and recurring production issues
• Evaluate and disposition manufacturing impacts of engineering changes, ensuring effective implementation on the production floor
• Analyze production performance data to identify opportunities for continuous improvement in throughput, yield, cost, and schedule adherence
• Coordinate with Quality, Supply Chain, Test, and Production personnel to ensure successful execution of manufacturing activities
• Support qualification activities, first article inspections, process validations, and customer or regulatory audits as required
• Train and mentor production personnel on new processes, methods, and manufacturing best practices
• Ensure manufacturing activities comply with applicable safety requirements, quality standards, and company procedures

Required Education and Experience

• Must have U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a U.S. Security Clearance
• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineer, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant manufacturing engineering experience
• Experience developing and maintaining manufacturing processes and documentation
• Experience supporting hardware builds in a production, prototype, or low-rate manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot manufacturing issues and drive issues to resolution through cross-functional collaboration
• Working knowledge of engineering drawings, bills of material, configuration management, and engineering change processes

Preferred Education and Experience

• 7-10 years of manufacturing engineering experience; preferably within aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated industries
• Experience supporting products through the full lifecycle from development and EMD builds into sustained production
• Working knowledge of quality management systems, industry standards, and regulatory requirements, including AS9100, ISO, ANSI, and customer-specific requirements
• Experience with first article inspections, qualification activities, process validations, and audit support
• Experience authoring or improving manufacturing work instructions and visual aids for technicians and assemblers
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement methodologies, and statistical process control techniques
• Experience designing or specifying manufacturing tooling, fixtures, and test support equipment
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems and manufacturing execution processes

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position at 40 hours per week. Typical office hours include Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm; however, these hours may vary based on workload and the manager's discretion.
Travel

About 10% travel is expected for this position.
Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool as necessary. The employee will also regularly be seated at a desk and using a computer.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

About FIRST RF

FIRST RF is a fast-growing, multi-discipline, privately owned small business focused on engineering and manufacturing of advanced technologies - specifically in…