Lead Manufacturing Engineer

AeroVironment•San Diego, CA

11d•$122,500 - $187,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for defining, launching, and improving manufacturing processes for Titan C-UAS electrical and mechanical products, with a strong focus on contract manufacturing (CM). This role supports the technical transfer of products to CMs, ensures robust production readiness, and drives ongoing process improvements using data and structured problem-solving. The Lead Manufacturing Engineer collaborates closely with design engineering, supply chain, quality, and CM partners to achieve reliable, cost effective, and scalable production.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Electrical Engineering, or related field; or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
5–10+ years of experience in Manufacturing, Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical, or Test Engineering in aerospace, defense, automotive, or similar high reliability industries.
Experience supporting or managing contract manufacturers or external suppliers for electrical and/or mechanical assemblies.
Working knowledge of electro mechanical manufacturing, including interpretation of drawings, specifications, and Bills of Material.
Familiarity with PCB-based products, sheet metal, machined parts, and basic integration/assembly processes.
Experience with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma principles and tools for process development and control.
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook; Visio/Project a plus).
Familiarity with statistical analysis tools (e.g., MiniTab), MRP/ERP systems (Oracle preferred), PLM/Change systems (e.g., Agile), and CAD programs (SolidWorks preferred).
Experience working with ECO/ECN processes.
Ability and willingness to travel to CM/supplier sites (up to ~25%, as needed).
U.S. Citizenship required.
Occasional domestic and international travel may be required.

Nice To Haves

Certification in Lean / Six Sigma (Green Belt or higher) preferred.
Demonstrated problem-solving and analytical skills, including root cause analysis techniques (5 Why, fishbone, 8D participation).
Strong organization, planning, and time management skills; able to handle multiple priorities across internal and CM activities.
Effective verbal and written communication skills; able to collaborate with engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, and CM personnel.
Ability to work within defined requirements and deadlines and to perform independently with moderate oversight.
Comfortable in a fast paced, deadline driven environment where small teams share a broad variety of duties.
Demonstrated initiative, ownership, and a continuous improvement mindset.
Experience working within ISO based or similar quality systems.

Responsibilities

Serve as a primary day to day technical contact for contract manufacturers producing electrical and mechanical assemblies.
Support NPI and production transfers to CMs by defining build strategy, documenting processes, and resolving technical issues during initial builds and ramp.
Review and provide feedback on CM work instructions, assembly procedures, inspection plans, and test procedures to ensure they meet product and quality requirements.
Monitor CM performance (yield, rework, scrap, cycle time) and support improvement actions in partnership with Supply Chain and Quality.
Participate in CM audits, build readiness reviews, and on site troubleshooting as required.
Develop, maintain, and improve manufacturing processes for electrical and mechanical assemblies including PCB-based products, harnesses, machined and sheet metal parts, and system-level integrations.
Establish and maintain standard times and sequences of operations for current and future production processes, both internal and at CMs.
Generate and update work instructions, assembly procedures, visual aids, and other documentation to control and standardize manufacturing processes.
Participate in the design and development of manufacturing workflows and equipment layout for efficient, safe, and ergonomic operations.
Support Design for Manufacturability/Assembly (DFM/DFA) activities with design engineering and CMs to improve build robustness, yield, and cost.
Analyze production metrics (yield, capacity, cost, process capability) from internal builds and CMs to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
Help implement Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma tools to drive reductions in cost, lead time, and variability.
Participate in PFMEA and support DFMEA to identify and mitigate manufacturing risks and ensure adequate process controls.
Support development of manufacturing strategies and capacity models for new and existing products, including inputs for capital and tooling needs.
Support cost estimating and requirements definition for new tooling, fixtures, and test equipment needed to support manufacturing at CMs and internal facilities.
Contribute to Make/Buy analysis and trade studies in collaboration with cross functional teams for key assemblies and processes.
Provide guidance on process capabilities and equipment utilization to best align design intent and manufacturing methods.
Provide hands-on support to internal production and CM builds, including troubleshooting integration and assembly issues.
Participate in root cause analysis and corrective action activities for issues related to materials, design, tooling, process, or operator error.