Structural Composites Manufacturing Engineer

This announcement will be accepting candidate applications until 11:45 PM EST, 5 November 2026.

The AFRL Foundational Technologies Directorate seeks to hire a motivated and experienced mid-level General Engineer (0801) or Materials Engineer (0806) to serve as a Structural Composites Manufacturing Engineer in the Structural Systems Manufacturing Branch (REMS) of the Manufacturing, Industrial Technologies, and Energy Division (REM). This position will be filled at the mid-level, DR-02 (GS-12/13 or equivalent) or DR-03 (GS-14 or equivalent), and is located at Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH.

This position may be filled as a 5‑year Flexible Length Term appointment (new government hires, current government term employees, etc.) with the option to later extend or convert to a permanent appointment.

• Applies deep technical knowledge of composites manufacturing processes (e.g., Automated Fiber Placement, Resin Transfer Molding, Additive Manufacturing) to establish, improve, and preserve defense‑essential manufacturing capabilities.
• Develops, manages, and executes projects and multi‑year roadmaps to mature manufacturing technologies that reduce the acquisition and life‑cycle costs of DAF weapon systems.
• Engages with the defense industrial base, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), and other Services/Agencies to identify and solve manufacturing readiness, producibility, and supply chain challenges for composite structures.
• Serves as a key technical advisor, providing authoritative recommendations on manufacturing best practices, process improvements, and the risk/benefit of alternative production solutions.
• Prepares and executes in‑house analysis and test plans, generates high‑quality technical reports, and presents briefings to technical partners, leadership, and customers.
• Contributes composites manufacturing expertise to failure investigations, root cause corrective actions, and evaluations of emerging technologies.
• Mentors junior engineers and program managers, providing oversight and guiding technical development within the branch.
• Applies professional engineering knowledge and leadership to execute other duties as assigned.

• US Citizenship.
• To qualify for a DR-02 (GS-12/13 or equivalent), applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the DR-01 (GS-11 or equivalent). To qualify for a DR-03 (GS-14 or equivalent), applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the DR-02 (GS-12/13 or equivalent). Examples of specialized experience include developing or managing composites manufacturing projects, analyzing manufacturing processes for aerospace structures, and/or working with the defense industrial base to improve production yield or readiness.
• Position will be filled using occupational series within the Scientist and Engineering career field. Applicants are required to meet all OPM Qualification Standard requirements for the applicable occupational series and grade.
• Possess a professional science or engineering (S&E) degree, in a relevant technical field, from an accredited (or ABET accredited for engineering) academic institution.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance as a condition of employment.
• This is an Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) position requiring Level/Tier 2 (Practitioner) certification in the Engineering & Technical Management stall. Applicants must list all completed APDP certifications on resume. Selectee will have 5 years to meet the APDP certification requirements of the position.

• A graduate degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in a relevant…