Lead Manufacturing Engineer

Role Sorian Aerospace is building a high-performance fighter-class jet for adversary air (Red Air) missions and advanced pilot training. The goal: deliver the maneuverability, integrated electronic warfare, BVR targeting, autonomous flight, CCA interoperability, and flight experience of front-line fighters — at a fraction of the cost. As Lead Manufacturing & Machining Engineer, you’ll own production across development, test, and pre-certification phases.

You’ll oversee machining, tooling, and assembly workflows—while building scalable processes that allow us to move fast without compromising quality. Your job is to turn CAD into flight hardware, again and again, under real-world constraints. This is a hands-on role with clear ownership over how parts get made and how we build up our internal manufacturing capability. Note: U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is required due to regulatory constraints.

Responsibilities

• Lead all machining and manufacturing operations from prototype through production
• Build fast, flexible processes for early development and rapid iteration
• Transition designs from test articles to production-ready hardware
• Implement QA systems that hit aerospace tolerances without slowing us down
• Drive DFM and simplicity into upstream engineering workflows
• Manage tooling strategy, shop equipment, and in-house vs. outsourced fabrication
• Hire, train, and lead a small, high-output team of machinists and manufacturing engineers

Requirements

• 5–10 years of experience in aerospace or high-performance manufacturing
• Proven ability to run prototype shops and scale toward low-rate production
• Deep knowledge of tolerances, GD&T, inspection, and quality control systems
• Hands-on experience with CNC machining, composites, and other aerospace materials
• Familiarity with DFM, lean principles, and ERP/MRP systems
• Comfortable owning timelines and delivering under pressure

Results

• Deliver production-grade hardware on aggressive timelines
• Build a flexible, scalable manufacturing pipeline that adapts to change
• Integrate DFM feedback into engineering cycles to reduce cost and complexity
• Maintain high-quality standards while supporting fast-paced development

Availability Full-time, based in Long Beach, CA
Evenings and weekends may be required during build, integration, or test milestones

Compensation Range $200,000–$250,000 base salary

• meaningful equity
• complete healthcare benefits for you and your dependents

Company Core Values We run it hotter. We run it faster.
We simplify systems. We eliminate complexity. We deliver hardware that works.
Execution is the culture. We expect leaders to be hands-on, fast-moving, and accountable from day one. To apply: Email your resume and a brief summary of the hardest thing you’ve ever built, how you did it, and why it mattered to  or click the “Apply Now” button below. Apply Now#J-18808-Ljbffr