Manufacturing Engineer I

Sierra Nevada Corporation • Hagerstown, MD

2d • $64,853 - $89,173

About The Position

Are you a bold thinker looking to start your career in aerospace manufacturing? At SNC’s Hagerstown, MD site, you’ll help bring the next generation of airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (A‑ISR) platforms to life—including our digitally born, MBSE‑engineered RAPCON‑X. As a Manufacturing Engineer I, you’ll support the production and integration of avionics, mission systems, and aircraft modifications that enable these cutting‑edge ISR capabilities. Working alongside experienced engineers, you’ll contribute to creating efficient manufacturing processes, tooling, and work instructions that keep our Next‑Gen ISR programs mission‑ready. This is a hands‑on opportunity to grow your skills while helping deliver aircraft that operate globally in complex environments. The Mission Solutions and Technologies (MST) business area provides affordable, turn-key command/control, communications, integrated ISR, force protection and security solutions worldwide. The MST team has a long legacy of supporting the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, commercial and international customers with years of experience in platform operations, engineering and full lifecycle management across domains – air, land, sea, space and cyber.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in an Engineering Discipline.
• 0–2+ years of experience in manufacturing, production, or process engineering (internships and co‑ops welcome).
• Basic proficiency with computer‑aided design (CAD) tools and process documentation.
• Foundational understanding of engineering principles and basic manufacturing practices.
• Ability to work collaboratively on multidisciplinary teams supporting aircraft and avionics integration.
• Ability to obtain and United States Top Secret Security Clearance
• U.S. Citizenship status is required as this position needs an active U.S. Security Clearance for employment.
• Non-U.S. citizens may not be eligible to obtain a security clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Internship or co‑op experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Basic knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, or process‑optimization methods.
• Exposure to Aerospace or Defense manufacturing, ideally involving avionics or aircraft modifications supporting mission‑system integration.
• Familiarity with applying and interpreting Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) per ASME Y14.5
• Knowledge of standard industry design principles, including parametric modeling, model‑based definition, material selection, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience supporting work instruction or traveler development.
• Exposure to MRB processes, non‑conformance dispositions, or quality system workflows.
• Experience with New Product Introduction (NPI) or transition‑to‑production activities.
• Familiarity with PLM, MES, or MRP systems used in an aerospace production environment.

Responsibilities

• Support the creation of detailed work instructions and process documentation that enable the efficient build of avionics and mission‑system components supporting SNC’s Next‑Gen ISR platforms, including the digitally born RAPCON‑X.
• Assist in designing and implementing manufacturing processes for new and evolving A‑ISR products, contributing to rapid integration timelines and modular reconfiguration that these aircraft are known for.
• Collaborate with design engineering teams to review product concepts for Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA), helping ensure sensors, avionics, mission equipment, and wiring systems can be efficiently produced, installed, and maintained on ISR aircraft.
• Aid in the development and implementation of production tooling and fixtures, supporting the precision and repeatability required for avionics integration on advanced intelligence‑collection platforms.
• Participate in troubleshooting and resolving manufacturing issues, gaining exposure to real‑world aircraft modifications, mission‑equipment installations, and rapid‑prototyping activities tied to ISR capability development.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives aimed at increasing production efficiency, reducing cycle time, and enhancing quality for aircraft designed to operate in near‑peer and contested environments.
• Learn how manufacturing supports full aircraft lifecycle needs, from initial build through integration, test, sustainment, and mission‑specific reconfiguration for global ISR operations.

Benefits

• SNC offers a generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%, life insurance, 3 weeks paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees