Manufacturing Engineer – Effectors
HIKINEX•Los Angeles, CA
•$110,000 - $160,000•Onsite
About The Position
An advanced aerospace and defense technology company is seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to help scale next-generation interceptor and autonomous defense systems from prototype development into high-rate production. This role sits at the intersection of product engineering, manufacturing strategy, and production execution. The ideal candidate will bring strong Design for Manufacturing & Assembly (DFMA) experience, a deep understanding of producibility, and practical experience scaling hardware from low-volume development into repeatable, cost-optimized manufacturing environments. This is a highly collaborative and hands-on position for someone who enjoys working directly with hardware, influencing design decisions early, and helping build manufacturing capability from the ground up.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related STEM field
- 5+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, automotive, robotics, semiconductor, or other high-rate manufacturing environments
- Strong DFMA and producibility engineering experience
- Experience transitioning hardware from development/prototype phases into production
- Working knowledge of: GD&T (ASME Y14.5), Tolerance stack-up analysis, Manufacturing process capability concepts (Cp/Cpk), Root cause methodologies (8D, RCCA, Fishbone, etc.)
- Experience developing: Manufacturing documentation, MBOMs, Work instructions, Process flows, Production routing sequences
- Proficiency with CAD tools such as SolidWorks, Creo, CATIA, or similar
- Ability to work hands-on in fast-paced development and production environments
- U.S. citizenship required; ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance required
Nice To Haves
- Missile, interceptor, UAV, autonomous system, or aerospace hardware manufacturing
- High-rate production scaling experience (100k+ units/year environments strongly valued)
- Startup or greenfield manufacturing build-out experience
- Automated assembly systems or robotics integration
- Composites, harness integration, or electromechanical assembly experience
- Experience with PLM, MES, or ERP manufacturing systems
- Experience conducting Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) assessments
- Exposure to contract manufacturing, supplier industrialization, or production transfer activities
Responsibilities
- Lead DFMA reviews throughout concept development, design reviews, prototyping, and production readiness phases
- Influence hardware designs for manufacturability, scalability, cost efficiency, and assembly optimization
- Evaluate tolerance stack-ups, GD&T strategies, joining methods, and assembly flow
- Help simplify part counts, interfaces, fastener strategies, and production processes
- Develop assembly sequencing approaches optimized for throughput and takt time
- Support material and process selection decisions with a focus on scalable production
- Perform producibility assessments, process capability evaluations, and yield analysis
- Develop manufacturing plans, work instructions, routing flows, and MBOM structures
- Support make-versus-buy decisions alongside supply chain and operations teams
- Identify tooling, fixture, and capital equipment requirements needed for scale-up
- Analyze bottlenecks, cycle times, and production rate sensitivities
- Drive process improvements focused on throughput, quality, and cost reduction
- Support manual prototype builds, assembly activities, and early production efforts
- Provide hands-on troubleshooting support during pilot builds and ramp activities
- Participate in root cause investigations and corrective action implementation
- Support First Article Inspection (FAI), qualification efforts, and production validation
- Collaborate closely with design, quality, supply chain, and test engineering teams
- Assist with supplier readiness, manufacturing transfers, and production scaling initiatives
- Develop scalable manufacturing strategies for high-rate production environments
- Implement automation, poka-yoke, and error-proofing concepts where appropriate
- Support MES, ERP, and PLM manufacturing workflows
- Analyze yield, cost, rework, and throughput metrics to improve manufacturing performance
- Help establish long-term production infrastructure and scalable manufacturing operations
Benefits
- Competitive compensation and equity package
- Comprehensive healthcare coverage
- 401(k) matching
- PTO flexibility
- Relocation assistance may be available
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
