Manufacturing Process Engineer

Askari Defense•Atlanta, GA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manufacturing Process Engineer will own the design, development, and continuous improvement of Askari’s interceptor manufacturing processes. Working across operations, supply chain, hardware, robotics software, perception, and GNC, this engineer will improve production workflows, systems, fixtures, and facility layouts to enable high-quality, scalable production. The role combines mechanical design and rapid prototyping, process and operations design, and foundational software knowledge to develop a manufacturing software operating system that improves production visibility and control. The engineer will assess existing processes, identify root causes of production issues, implement and document practical solutions, and automate workflows only after they are proven manually. The role includes supporting new product introduction, maintaining and improving production equipment, and helping establish an in-house machine shop. Manufacturing operations currently run Monday through Saturday, and on-site participation is required throughout that schedule; Sunday is a non-working day. The organization anticipates moving toward continuous manufacturing as it scales. The position offers an opportunity to grow into a manufacturing leadership role.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience personally designing, improving, or operating a manufacturing process for a physical product, with measurable improvements in quality, throughput, or cost.
Ability to identify root causes, implement solutions, document processes, and automate workflows after the manual process is reliable.
At least 2 years of professional or equivalent hands-on experience in manufacturing, process, or production engineering; serious hobbyist and personal-build experience is also considered.
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related engineering discipline, or equivalent demonstrated ability.
Strong proficiency in 3D CAD for fixture, tooling, and mechanism design, using Fusion, SolidWorks, NX, or related tools.
Demonstrated experience modifying mechanical designs for manufacturability and ease of assembly.
Extensive hands-on experience with 3D printing and CNC machining, and understanding of fabrication-method and material tradeoffs.
Experience writing SOPs, sequencing production operations, and designing production-space layouts.
Foundational understanding of software systems, databases, and data flows sufficient to use AI/LLM agents to build and iterate on internal tools.
Ability to work independently in an ambiguous environment, identify priorities, and drive improvements.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work across operations, supply chain, hardware, software, perception, and GNC teams.
Ability to participate on-site throughout the Monday-through-Saturday operating schedule; Sunday is a non-working day.
For assignment to work covered by U.S. export-control laws, authorization to access the applicable items or information, including qualifying as a U.S. person or obtaining any required authorization, notice, approval, or access-control clearance.

Nice To Haves

At least 4 years of relevant experience and/or a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline.
Experience upgrading, repairing, and maintaining 3D printers, including print farms.
Experience establishing, operating, or managing a machine shop.
Familiarity with lean manufacturing, statistical process control, or quality management systems.
Experience with MES, ERP, inventory, or traceability systems, or developing internal manufacturing tools using AI and LLMs.
Experience manufacturing drones, aerospace, or defense hardware, particularly during the transition from prototype development to repeatable production.
Light managerial or team-lead experience, or interest in growing into a manufacturing management role.

Responsibilities

Review and optimize manufacturing processes, production sequences, workflows, and systems to improve quality, throughput, and cost.
Identify root causes of production problems, implement solutions, document processes, and automate workflows after they are proven manually.
Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support consistent builds, technician training, and onboarding.
Design and continuously improve facility layout and production flow as manufacturing volume grows.
Design, model, and build fixtures, jigs, and manufacturing mechanisms that improve assembly speed, repeatability, and quality.
Work with the hardware team on Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) improvements.
Use 3D printing, CNC machining, and other fabrication methods to develop tooling, parts, fixtures, and process improvements.
Lead development of a unified manufacturing software platform, including systems for inventory, build and process statistics, orders, technician performance, calibration, and vehicle labeling.
Develop software-driven production visibility and change-management systems to support new hardware, software, and feature integration while maintaining quality and process control.
Partner with operations, supply chain, hardware, robotics software, perception, and GNC to resolve cross-functional problems.
Support new product introduction by turning prototype designs into repeatable, production-ready manufacturing processes.
Maintain, troubleshoot, upgrade, and improve production equipment, including 3D printers, and support development and operation of an in-house machine shop.
Help establish scalable manufacturing processes and grow into leading a manufacturing team as production expands.