Manufacturing Engineer in Poway

MANUFACTURING ENGINEER — FINISHING / ASSEMBLY

Company:
Light Composites, Inc.

Reports to:

Composites Engineering Manager

Compensation: $70,000 – $85,000 salary + benefits

Schedule:

Full-time, Monday–Friday

Floor Assignment:
Finishing and Bonding/Assembly departments

Light Composites is a growing carbon fiber composites manufacturer serving defense, aerospace, medical device, and industrial markets. We are AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 certified. ~50-person team.

We are hiring a Manufacturing Engineer to be embedded in our Finishing and Bonding/Assembly departments — the downstream operations that turn cured composite parts into finished, inspected assemblies ready to ship. You’ll work alongside senior engineers and directly with operators to improve finishing processes, reduce rework, and streamline assembly workflows.

Finishing is our second-largest department (12 people) handling trimming, sanding, filling, painting, and cosmetic work. Bonding/Assembly (5 people) handles structural adhesive bonding, mechanical assembly, and sub-assembly operations.

• Process improvement — Observe finishing and assembly processes, identify inefficiencies, and implement changes that reduce cycle times and rework
• Fixture development — Design and build trim fixtures, sanding jigs, bonding fixtures, and assembly aids using Fusion 360
• Rework reduction — Track and analyze rework sources, implement process changes to improve first-pass yield
• Work instruction support — Create clear process documentation for finishing sequences, bonding procedures, and assembly steps
• Floor support — Be the first responder when finishers or assemblers hit a process issue
• Operator training — Train finishers and assemblers on new or updated work instructions, tooling, and process changes
• Cycle time analysis — Track cycle times by program/operation, identify outliers, and drive improvements
• New program introduction — Lead first-run builds for new programs; translate customer requirements into finishing sequences, bonding procedures, and assembly work instructions before production begins
• Tooling and fixture maintenance — Own the condition of finishing and bonding tooling (trim fixtures, bonding jigs, assembly aids); track wear and coordinate repairs or replacements
• Process validation — Run qualification builds when introducing new materials, processes, or significant process changes; document results and sign off before full production release
• Estimating support — Provide accurate cycle time estimates for new programs and engineering changes to support quoting

• Inspection spec development — Define inspection criteria, tolerances, and methods for finishing and assembly operations in our digital inspection system
• NCR disposition — Own real-time disposition decisions (use-as-is, rework, scrap) for nonconforming parts coming out of your departments; don’t wait for a CAPA — act on the floor
• AS9100D/ISO 9001 compliance — Support and maintain quality requirements within your departments
• Root cause analysis & CAPAs — Lead root cause investigations for recurring defects; own corrective actions through closure
• Assist during internal and external quality audits

• Coordinate with upstream departments (Cure, Machining) and with Lamination to resolve process issues at handoff points
• Work with the Quality Engineer to develop and update in-process inspection plans
• Use MRPeasy ERP to track work orders, log cycle times, and communicate job status

• 2+ years of manufacturing engineering experience, or relevant engineering degree with /co-op
• CAD proficiency (Fusion 360, Solid Works, or equivalent) — you will be designing tooling and fixtures
• Shop-floor engineering role — must be on the floor, not at a desk
• Ability to read engineering drawings
• Working knowledge of quality management systems (AS9100, ISO 9001)
• MRP ownership — maintain routings, cycle times, and BOMs in MRPeasy in coordination with the GM and Production Manager
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail

• Experience with composite finishing (trimming, sanding, filling, painting)
• Experience with structural…