Lead Build Engineer, Composites

Mach Industries•Huntington Beach, CA

About The Position

We are building the industrial base required to deter adversaries and win the next generation of conflict. That starts with factories capable of producing advanced composite structures at unprecedented scale, speed, and quality. As a Lead Build Engineer (Composites), you will own the integration, build, and test of composite structures and assemblies, from early prototypes through production ramp. You will operate at the intersection of design, manufacturing, and test, ensuring that what we design can be built reliably, repeatedly, and at rate. This is not a coordination role. You will be on the floor, solving problems in real time, driving hardware to completion.

Requirements

Bachelorʼs degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
3+ years of hands-on experience with composite structures in aerospace, defense, or high-performance automotive
Demonstrated experience building real hardware (not just designing)

Nice To Haves

Deep experience with one or more:
Prepreg layup & oven/autoclave cure
Resin infusion / RTM
Filament winding
Strong understanding of:
Composite failure modes (delamination, porosity, fiber misalignment)
Tooling design and cure behavior
Adhesives and bonded joint design
Experience scaling from prototype to production
Familiarity with:
NDI methods (ultrasound, CT, thermography)
CNC trimming of composites
Ply cutting, kitting, and material handling systems
Ability to read and interpret:
Ply books
Laminate schedules
Engineering drawings and GD&T

Responsibilities

Lead hands-on build of composite structures (airframes, tanks, ducts, control surfaces, etc.)
Drive daily execution against build schedules by removing blockers, re-sequencing work, and maintaining momentum
Translate engineering intent into executable builds under real-world constraints
Define and execute bonding, fastening, trimming, and finishing operations
Lead fit-up, alignment, and tolerance closure across multi-part assemblies
Develop and refine composite processes including:
Layup (manual and automated)
Cure cycles (oven/autoclave)
Trimming, machining, and secondary bonding
Rapidly iterate processes from prototype to repeatable mass production
Identify design issues early (ply drops, access constraints, tolerance stackups, cure distortion)
Partner with design engineering to simplify builds and improve yield
Push for designs that enable rate, cost efficiency, and reliability
Plan and execute structural and functional tests of composite assemblies
Own failure investigations (bond failures, delamination, voids, distortion)
Implement corrective actions quickly and permanently
Define:
Build sequences
Tooling requirements
Work instructions (at appropriate execution tier)
Support line bring-up and operator training
Be the first responder to build issues on the floor