Lead Manufacturing Engineer

Winchester Interconnect•Garden Grove, CA

2d•$130,000 - $165,000

About The Position

Aptiv Interconnect is seeking a Senior Manufacturing & Process Engineer to bridge technical engineering operations and key client stakeholders. The role evaluates, optimizes, and scales manufacturing processes to improve production efficiency, product quality, and cost savings in a high-mix, low-volume aerospace and defense manufacturing environment. The engineer will solve complex technical challenges, establish process documentation, and lead customer-facing technical discussions to ensure production capabilities align with customer specifications and applicable requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
At least 7 years of progressive process or manufacturing engineering experience in a high-precision or regulated manufacturing environment.
Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident) due to ITAR regulations.
Demonstrated mastery of Lean Manufacturing tools such as Kaizen, 5S, VSM, and Poka-Yoke.
Proven ability to lead technical presentations, manage client expectations, and handle customer-driven design and production reviews.
Exceptional technical writing skills and strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to convey complex engineering concepts to customers and program teams.
Proficiency in 2D/3D CAD software and ERP/MRP systems.

Nice To Haves

Aerospace, defense, or space applications experience.
Start-up experience.
Familiarity with cable assembly design and manufacturing processes, connector systems, testing protocols, and MIL-DTL specifications.
Understanding of IPC/WHMA-A-620 and J-STD-001 workmanship standards.
Experience working under AS9100 and ISO 9001 quality management systems.
IPC certification.
Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
Syspro experience.

Responsibilities

Assess production processes, identify bottlenecks, reduce cycle times, eliminate waste, and implement Lean/Six Sigma continuous improvement initiatives.
Lead troubleshooting for internal and external quality escapes, using root cause analysis methods such as 5-Why, Fishbone, 8D, and CAPA, and collaborate with the Quality team on permanent solutions.
Author, revise, and improve SOPs, work instructions, manufacturing process specifications, and control plans within the ERP system.
Lead and maintain PFMEA activities to identify and mitigate manufacturing risks.
Oversee process validation and ensure engineering processes and documentation comply with industry standards and customer-specific requirements.
Act as the primary technical subject matter expert in customer meetings, design reviews, technical audits, and engineering site visits.
Collaborate with customer engineering teams on DFM and DFA feedback to support transitions during NPI.
Mentor and develop junior engineers and manufacturing engineers through coaching and knowledge sharing.
Provide the commercial team with technical input, labor estimates, and process recommendations to improve quote quality and turnaround.
Comply with company policies and procedures.
Perform other duties as assigned.