Manufacturing Engineer

We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more. As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing. When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you’ll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow. The Manufacturing Engineer designs and operates the manufacturing systems for Unmanned Air Vehicles with a particular emphasis on composite fabrication and assembly processes. In this role, the Manufacturing Engineer chooses the best technologies and processes for manufacturing, planning and designing the factory as well as managing the maintenance and continuous improvement of the manufacturing process. One has strong knowledge in composite manufacturing production processes, specifically creating and monitoring automated systems and new technology development. One defines, maintains, and supports manufacturing processes utilized in the manufacture of Small Unmanned Air Vehicles. Position Responsibilities Creates and manages equipment specifications and equipment documentation for development, qualification, and support of composite assembly and test equipment for production Implements Lean Manufacturing principles and applies Six Sigma methodology to achieve continuous improvement in composite fabrication productivity, quality, and lead time Generates Value Stream Maps to reduce cycle time, waste, variation, and low production yields in composite layup and assembly operations Works on Manufacturing Strategies and capacity models for new and current composite products, including estimation and maintenance of capital requisitions Generates new and reviews existing work instructions, composite layup procedures, cure cycle documentation, and supporting documentation controlling the manufacturing process Performs cost estimating of new composite tooling and fixtures required to support the production floor Leads Make/Buy analysis on composite assemblies and bonded structures with cross-functional team Performs Design for Manufacturing, cost, and reliability analysis on new composite products with the design engineering team Works with suppliers and contract manufacturers specializing in composite fabrication to ensure receipt of conforming parts and assemblies Works on problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors Other duties as assigned Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience) Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or similar field is required, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience Minimum of 5 to 8 years of experience in Manufacturing, Mechanical, or Test Engineering in Aerospace, Automotive, or Commercial industries Hands-on experience with composite manufacturing methods including wet layup, prepreg, autoclave, and out-of-autoclave processes is required Experienced with composite tooling design including matched-die, mandrel, and caul plate tooling Experienced with composite bonding and joining techniques including co-cure, co-bond, and secondary bonding using aerospace-grade adhesives Experienced in Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma Methodology is required Experienced with electro-mechanical manufacturing, drawings, procedures, and Bill of Materials is required Experienced using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access, Project), MiniTab, Oracle, Agile, and CAD programs (SolidWorks preferred) Familiarity with composite inspection and repair techniques including NDI, ultrasonic, and visual methods is desired Familiarity with composite-specific standards and process specifications (e.g., ASTM D3039, D3410, Nadcap composite processing) is desired Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies Advanced degree is preferred Specific experience with composite layups, sheet metal fabrication, printed circuit board assembly, mechanical assembly, calibration, and testing processes is desired Demonstrates competency as a problem solver familiar with root cause analysis techniques as applied to composite process defects and nonconformances Organization and planning, communication (oral and written), time management, conflict management, and ability to manage stress and deadlines Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, where small teams share a broad variety of duties Displays strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives Takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products Is committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve and enhance performance of oneself, others, and the company Demonstrates effective time management, analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills Excels at teamwork, collaboration, and putting the success of the team above one's own interests Salary Range: $110,000-130,000 The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate’s combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience  Note: Due to the nature of the work, only US Persons (citizens or permanent residents) need apply for this position. ALTEN Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our Policy is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual’s age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or veteran status. Please beware of job seeker scams and see this https://www.alten.com/careers/job-offers/ on our careers page for more information about our recruiting process. Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire. Offices: Irvine, California, United States (Irvine, CA);