Manufacturing Engineer 3

APPLIED COMPOSITES•Brea, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Applied Composites is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Engineer III to develop, implement, and improve manufacturing processes supporting advanced composite components for commercial, aerospace, and defense applications. The role works closely with Operations, Design Engineering, Quality, and other technical teams to support new product introduction, improve manufacturing performance, troubleshoot production issues, and implement process improvements. The ideal candidate combines technical knowledge of composite manufacturing with hands-on problem-solving, project management, and continuous improvement experience. This position is based in Brea, California, and is full-time, on-site, exempt, and day shift. The listed pay range is $100,000–$120,000. The position requires access to information subject to ITAR; applicants must be U.S. persons as defined by ITAR. Applied Composites provides complex composite components, assemblies, engineering, and tooling for aerospace, defense, and space applications. Its team supports advanced composite product development and manufacturing through technical expertise, quality, and operational excellence.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
Minimum 5 years of relevant composite manufacturing or process engineering experience.
Experience developing, improving, and troubleshooting manufacturing processes.
Knowledge of manufacturing engineering principles, technical specifications, process documentation, and ITAR regulations.
Ability to interpret engineering drawings and specifications, GD&T requirements, and applicable CAD models.
Experience with manufacturing process improvement, root cause analysis, and cross-functional technical problem-solving.
Strong written and verbal communication, organizational, and project coordination skills.
Must be a U.S. person within the meaning of ITAR: a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, political asylee, or refugee.

Nice To Haves

Seven or more years of relevant manufacturing engineering experience.
Experience manufacturing composite components.
Knowledge of composite materials, fabrication techniques, and process validation.
Experience with filament winding and high-temperature composite materials, including polyimide systems.
Familiarity with SolidWorks, CATIA V5, AutoCAD, Mastercam, or similar engineering software.
Experience with Lean manufacturing tools, DMAIC, PFMEA, and structured continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

Develop and improve manufacturing methods, processes, tooling requirements, and technical specifications for new and existing programs.
Collaborate with engineering and quality teams to evaluate manufacturability, fit, form, function, cost, and reliability.
Evaluate composite materials and manufacturing processes through test plans, trials, PFMEA, Lean manufacturing tools, and other appropriate validation methods.
Provide hands-on fabrication support for test laminates and prototypes, including coupon testing and process evaluation, as required.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean principles and other problem-solving methodologies to improve quality, cost, delivery, productivity, and process reliability.
Plan and coordinate engineering projects, including schedules, time studies, critical-path activities, resource estimates, and key performance indicators.
Provide technical support to production operations, investigate manufacturing issues, recommend corrective actions, and maintain technical documentation and action-item tracking.
Work independently on assigned technical responsibilities while collaborating with engineering leadership and support groups on associated projects.
Provide technical support, training materials, guidance, and mentoring to production and support personnel, as required.
Prepare technical findings, project updates, and recommendations to support projects.