Manufacturing Engineer

Job Title:

Manufacturing Engineer III / IVJob Description

This role supports advanced launch and recovery systems within a leading defense and electromagnetic systems environment. As a Manufacturing Engineer III/IV, you will serve as a Manufacturing Project / Product / Work-Package Engineer rather than a traditional floor-based process-improvement engineer. You will own a defined scope of complex hardware from planning through final delivery, overseeing parts and assemblies through every stage of manufacturing.

You will manage production schedules and line-of-balance, resolve technical and supplier issues, and coordinate across engineering, quality, procurement, program management, and customers to ensure on-time delivery. Manufacturing execution is managed remotely in partnership with the production site and suppliers in a high-mix, low-volume, government-contracting environment that rewards proactive risk identification and decisive issue resolution.

Responsibilities

* Own an assigned hardware scope consisting of numerous part numbers and assemblies from initial planning through final delivery.

* Develop, implement, and maintain manufacturing methods, operation sequences, and processes for fabrication of parts, components, sub-assemblies, and final assemblies.

* Track parts and assemblies against production schedules and line-of-balance, ensuring alignment with program milestones and delivery commitments.

* Identify schedule, quality, supplier, procurement, or technical risks early and develop clear, actionable recovery plans.

* Investigate, disposition, and justify product, drawing, and specification nonconformances through the Material Review Board (MRB) process.

* Lead manufacturing execution and problem solving by investigating schedule delays, resolving nonconforming hardware issues, and driving root-cause and corrective actions.

* Collaborate closely with design engineering to interpret and refine technical specifications and support design-for-manufacturability (DFM).

* Provide supplier oversight by participating in or conducting supplier audits and supporting on-site supplier kickoff meetings focused on plans, schedules, and deliverables.

* Coordinate engineering changes and change proposals, ensuring accurate and timely completion of government-contracting documentation.

* Communicate status and risks across manufacturing, design, quality, procurement, suppliers, program management, and customers to maintain alignment and transparency.

* Report project status regularly, escalate risks appropriately, and support budget reviews with the Control Account Manager.

* Support new product development activities by helping to define manufacturing processes, resolve early-stage production issues, and improve manufacturability.

* Apply lean manufacturing and process-improvement principles to enhance manufacturing efficiency, quality, and repeatability in a high-mix, low-volume environment.

* Contribute to nonconformance reporting (NCR), corrective and preventive actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.

* Mentor or support junior engineers and peers as needed, particularly in understanding internal systems, processes, and documentation requirements.

Essential Skills

* Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related technical field (Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Industrial, or Electrical preferred; equivalent experience may substitute for education).

* Approximately 5+ years of related manufacturing or project engineering experience for Level III roles.

* Approximately 9+ years of related manufacturing or project engineering experience for Level IV roles.

* Demonstrated technical project or hardware ownership from planning through delivery, including tracking hardware status and schedule or line-of-balance.

* Strong manufacturing engineering experience, including development and maintenance of manufacturing methods, operation sequences, and processes.

* Hands-on experience with manufacturing execution and problem solving, including investigation of schedule delays and disposition of nonconforming hardware.

* Proven ability to lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions to resolve supplier and production-floor issues.

* Effective cross-functional communication skills, with experience coordinating across manufacturing, design engineering, quality, procurement, suppliers, program management, and customers.

* Experience working in aerospace, defense, shipbuilding, heavy industrial, automotive, electromechanical, machining/fabrication, semiconductor equipment, or similar manufacturing environments.

* Exposure to welding, fabrication, and machining processes, particularly in high-mix/low-volume or low-rate production environments.

* Ability to interpret engineering drawings and models using basic CAD tools such as Solid Works, Creo, NX, or CATIA (reading and understanding only; not a design-heavy role).

* Comfort operating in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where priorities shift and issues are not always clearly defined.

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