Advanced Manufacturing Engineer

Advanced Manufacturing Engineer

Location: Rockford, IL

Travel: 40–60% (Domestic & International)

Salary: Competitive + Full Benefits

Are you passionate about advanced manufacturing and composite materials? Do you enjoy solving complex technical challenges and working directly with customers to transform ideas into innovative solutions? Join our team as an Advanced Manufacturing Engineer and play a critical role in developing and optimizing cutting‑edge composite manufacturing technologies for aerospace, defense, automotive, energy, and beyond.

As an Advanced Manufacturing Engineer, you will bridge the gap between engineering, manufacturing, and customer support. You’ll be responsible for developing machining and processing strategies, validating manufacturing processes, and providing technical expertise throughout the project lifecycle. You’ll collaborate cross‑functionally to deliver tailored solutions that set the standard for performance and reliability in composite manufacturing.

• Evaluate customer manufacturing requirements and develop engineered machining and processing solutions for advanced composites.

• Design strategies for composite trimming, drilling, routing, milling, and finishing applications, recommending appropriate tooling, fixturing, and process optimization techniques.

• Support machine acceptance testing and conduct customer demonstrations to ensure solutions meet technical and business needs.

• Develop and validate machining processes for materials such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, honeycomb structures, and both thermoset and thermoplastic composites.

• Optimize manufacturing parameters for tool life, part quality, dimensional accuracy, and repeatability.

• Troubleshoot machining and process‑related challenges, ensuring prompt and effective resolutions.

• Provide hands‑on technical support during machine installation and commissioning, and conduct operator and engineer training for customers.

• Develop and validate CNC programs, ensuring machine performance and process capability through factory and site acceptance tests.

• Collaborate with mechanical, controls, and manufacturing engineering teams, as well as field service, project management, and sales.

• Deliver process documentation, bills of materials, and support configuration management and change control procedures.

• Travel domestically and internationally (40–60%) to support project requirements and customer success.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field (or equivalent experience).

• Minimum 5 years of experience in composite manufacturing or CNC machining applications.

• Demonstrated expertise machining or processing composite materials.

• Strong grasp of CNC machining principles, process troubleshooting, and manufacturing best practices.

• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and apply GD&T methodologies.

• Proficient in Solid Works or equivalent CAD software; familiarity with PDM systems preferred.

• Excellent communication and customer‑facing skills, with a passion for working hands‑on and collaboratively.

• Willing to travel up to 60%, domestically and internationally.

• Tackle cutting‑edge technical challenges in advanced composite manufacturing.

• Work alongside passionate, talented engineering and technical teams.

• Contribute directly to projects across multiple high‑tech industries.

• Enjoy a competitive salary with bonus potential and a comprehensive benefits package.

• Be part of an agile, growth‑oriented organization committed to innovation and excellence.

• Kelly offers eligible employees voluntary benefit plans including medical, dental, vision, telemedicine, term life, whole life, accident insurance, critical illness, a legal plan, and short-term disability.

• As a Kelly employee, you will have access to a retirement savings plan, service bonus and holiday pay plans (earn up to eight paid holidays per benefit year), and a transit spending account.

• In addition, employees are entitled to earn paid sick leave under the applicable state or local plan.

Kelly may use AI-powered tools during the recruitment and hiring process. For full details,…