Principle Process Engineer

STENA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Principal Process Engineer, you will be a key technical contributor within the R&D and Advanced Technology organization, leading the development of next‑generation aerospace manufacturing processes. The role focuses on new product and process development with emphasis on tooling design, precision machining, automated fiber placement, and manufacturing software development. Your work will span early concept, prototype build, and technology maturation, enabling successful transition of advanced manufacturing capabilities into production environments. You will collaborate closely with cross‑functional internal teams—including Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain—as well as external partners such as equipment vendors, research institutions, and suppliers. The role includes developing and validating manufacturing processes, creating and refining NC programs and post‑processors, and applying software‑based tools to accelerate and automate manufacturing development. You will operate with limited supervision, manage multiple development efforts, and proactively communicate technical risks, obstacles, and progress to engineering leadership. At ST Engineering MRAS, our employees have amazing opportunities to work on advanced technologies and systems that support thousands of customers and millions of people worldwide every day. From the first flight across the Pacific Ocean to developing highly complex structures for the most popular aircraft in the world, we have come a long way always with a can-do approach to problem solving while delighting customers with our high say-do ratio. We are looking for people with innovative ideas and the drive to help us grow into the future. A pioneer in the production and assembly of complex aerostructures including aircraft and rocket components, engine nacelle systems, thrust reversers and advanced composite products, we apply the latest digital technologies and automation in composite design and manufacturing that are second to none. At ST Engineering MRAS, we are also rapidly augmenting our maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities leveraging the company’s expanded aircraft nacelle portfolio as well as it’s materials and processing expertise.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering or technical field
15+ years of experience in aerospace manufacturing, manufacturing R&D, or advanced technology development
Expert‑level experience in tooling design, machining processes, and composite manufacturing
Extensive NC programming experience, including post‑processor development and editing
Proficiency in Python for manufacturing automation, data analysis, or process/toolpath development
Proven experience developing and maturing new manufacturing processes from concept through demonstration
This position involves access to export‑controlled technology and requires U.S. Person status or appropriate authorization

Nice To Haves

Strong technical judgment and systems‑level manufacturing perspective
Ability to work independently while collaborating across disciplines and organizations
Strong oral and written communication skills
Experience working in R&D, prototype, or advanced manufacturing environments

Responsibilities

Lead development of new manufacturing processes and production concepts for aerospace structures
Develop, validate, and mature automated fiber placement and precision machining processes
Support technology maturation from early concept through prototype demonstration and manufacturing readiness
Lead the design, development, and validation of manufacturing tooling for advanced composite and metallic structures
Develop prototype and production‑relevant tooling concepts to support R&D demonstrations and process maturation
Collaborate with design, analysis, and manufacturing teams to ensure tooling supports performance, quality, and producibility requirements
Support tooling refinement through build, test, and iteration cycles
Create and optimize NC programs for advanced machining and automated manufacturing systems
Develop, edit, and support custom post‑processors
Apply Python programming to automate manufacturing workflows, analyze data, and support toolpath or process development
Lead and support multiple R&D development efforts simultaneously
Provide technical guidance and mentoring to engineers and technicians
Communicate technical progress, risks, and recommendations to engineering leadership