Manufacturing Engineer

GKN Aerospace Careers•Garden Grove, CA

9h•$92,000 - $113,853

About The Position

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn.in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.Job SummaryThe Manufacturing Engineer will support the development and execution of robust, zero‑defect manufacturing processes within our new facility in Garden Grove. This role is responsible for applying engineering principles, process development methods, and structured problem‑solving to ensure reliable production of parts, assemblies, and tooling. The ideal candidate brings strong technical capability, attention to detail, and a proactive approach to optimizing manufacturing performance during a major work‑transfer effort.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.
5+ years of Manufacturing Engineering experience, including work in NPI, start‑up facility environments, and/or work‑transfer activities, ideally within aerospace manufacturing.
Working knowledge of quality system standards such as ISO 9000, AS9100, or D1‑9000.
Fluent in English, both written and verbal.
Must be a U.S. Person under U.S. DOD and ITAR regulations to meet export compliance and site SSA requirements.
Ability to travel domestically and occasionally internationally (less than 5% annually).

Nice To Haves

Ability to confidently represent the organization in technical discussions with customers and suppliers.
Experience collaborating with internal and external decision‑makers across multidisciplinary teams.
Demonstrated ability to mentor team members to strengthen capability, cohesion, and overall performance.

Responsibilities

Develop manufacturing process solutions for complex production challenges.
Lead production planning activities from initial concept through full‑rate manufacturing.
Design processes that achieve high capability by applying the GKN Zero Defect Manufacturing (ZDM) methodology.
Own product development activities including first article build support, configuration updates, and definition of build processes and documentation.
Create, maintain, and continuously improve Program Quality Plans.
Conduct root‑cause analysis and drive preventive and corrective actions to eliminate non‑conformances using the ZDM tool suite.
Manage customer quality requirements, product development quality deliverables, and first article verification.
Perform supplier audits and assessments to ensure compliance and capability.
Apply AS9102 requirements within an active manufacturing environment.
Demonstrate a safety‑first approach and ensure compliance with GKN Aerospace Health, Safety, and Environmental standards.
Develop technical solutions for complex issues across GKN Aerospace, customer programs, and supplier operations.
Provide technical support for manufacturing process development, integration, and production readiness.
Use structured root‑cause analysis and corrective action methods to reduce or eliminate non‑conformances.
Build and maintain positive working relationships with internal teams, external customers, and suppliers.
Drive continuous improvement by implementing Lean principles to enhance efficiency, quality, and flow.