Senior Manufacturing Engineer

GKN Aerospace Careers•Garden Grove, CA

29d•Onsite

About The Position

GKN Aerospace is a company dedicated to reimagining air travel, focusing on going further, faster, and greener. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries, they serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers. The Senior Manufacturing Engineer will play a crucial role in supporting the development and execution of robust, zero-defect manufacturing processes at a new facility in Garden Grove. This position requires applying engineering principles, process development methods, and structured problem-solving to ensure reliable production of parts, assemblies, and tooling. The ideal candidate will possess strong technical capabilities, attention to detail, and a proactive approach to optimizing manufacturing performance during a significant work-transfer effort. GKN Aerospace emphasizes a collaborative and inclusive work environment, professional development, and a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.
8+ 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, AS9145, 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 and lead manufacturing process solutions for complex production challenges.
Lead production planning activities from initial concept through full‑rate manufacturing.
Design and own 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.
Lead 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.