Principal Welding Engineer - Execution Lead

Leidos•Huntsville, AL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Leidos Defense Manufacturing is seeking a Principal Welding Engineer – Execution Lead to support the HACM program within the Mechanical Manufacturing Facility (MMF) in Huntsville, AL. This role serves as the technical authority for welding processes and materials engineering, while also owning manufacturing execution performance across the production system. The position operates at the intersection of deep technical expertise and production leadership, ensuring welding processes are robust, qualified, and capable of meeting program rate and delivery requirements. In addition to welding and materials authority, this individual functions as the execution lead for manufacturing operations, driving alignment across Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Production Control, CNC Programming, Tool Design, and Program Management to ensure efficient production flow and schedule adherence. The ideal candidate is a highly experienced welding engineer who has operated in production environments, understands how welding and fabrication processes impact hardware execution, and can lead cross-functional teams to resolve complex manufacturing challenges in real time.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Welding Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline.
20+ years of relevant welding engineering experience.
Demonstrated experience developing and qualifying welding procedures.
Strong working knowledge of Electron Beam Welding (EBW), GTAW and GMAW.
Metallurgical behavior in welded structures.
Weld defect mechanisms and mitigation.
NDT methods and weld inspection standards.
AWS, ASME, or other applicable welding codes.
Experience in structural and aerospace alloys.
Ability to independently resolve complex technical problems.
Must be a US Citizen and possess (and be able to maintain) a Final Secret Clearance OR meet the eligibility to obtain (and maintain) a Secret Clearance.

Nice To Haves

Aerospace or defense manufacturing experience.
Certified Welding Engineer (CWE).
Experience contributing to technical proposals.
Experience with Solumina MES and Solidworks CAD systems.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary welding engineering authority supporting EBW and manual welding operations (GTAW, GMAW)
Develop, qualify, and optimize welding procedures, including WPS, PQR, and associated documentation
Lead welding process development, validation, and troubleshooting, including parameter optimization and defect mitigation
Evaluate metallurgical behavior, including HAZ response, distortion, and structural integrity of welded assemblies
Drive significant improvements in weld equipment reliability, availability, and process capability across EBW and manual welding systems.
Ensure compliance with applicable welding codes, specifications, and contractual requirements
Partner with Quality and NDT to ensure inspection readiness and acceptance criteria are met
Coordinate with external laboratories and vendors for metallurgical testing and specialty processing
Maintain configuration control and technical integrity of weld documentation within MES and engineering systems
Own manufacturing execution performance for HACM production, including rate, flow, and delivery commitments
Act as the central integrator across Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Planning, CNC Programming, and Production
Establish and drive daily and weekly execution priorities across functions
Provide real-time technical decision-making support on the shop floor to resolve production issues
Assess and maintain capacity models across welding, machining, and assembly operations
Develop and execute rate readiness plans aligned to program demand
Identify constraints (process, equipment, labor, planning) and drive resolution to improve throughput
Translate program requirements into executable, cross-functional production plans
Evaluate and improve MBOMs, routers, and work instructions to ensure they are accurate and executable
Ensure alignment between production planning and shop floor reality
Maintain configuration control across MES, ERP, and PLM systems
Drive standardization and best practices across manufacturing processes
Lead root cause and corrective action (RCCA) efforts for welding and production-related issues
Identify systemic gaps and implement sustainable corrective actions
Drive improvements in safety, quality, cost, and delivery (SQCD) performance
Ensure accountability and closure of cross-functional action items
Operate with de facto authority across functional teams without direct reporting structure
Drive alignment and accountability across engineering, quality, planning, and production
Escalate risks with defined recovery plans and ownership of outcomes
Serve as a technical leader and mentor to engineering staff across disciplines