Manufacturing Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Staff Manufacturing Engineer
Job Description

This Staff Manufacturing Engineer role focuses on leading end-to-end manufacturing of complex, high-reliability aerospace hardware and taking products from development into high-rate production. You will own manufacturing for assigned assemblies, drive production strategy and scalability, and serve as a key technical leader across design, production, and quality. The position offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge spacecraft manufacturing projects within an innovative and collaborative environment, with strong potential for career growth.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end manufacturing for complex assemblies, serving as the manufacturing owner for assigned parts and products and ensuring readiness, quality, and delivery performance.
• Drive production strategy, scalability, and line capacity to support high-rate production of aerospace and high-reliability hardware.
• Lead Assembly, Integration, and Test activities, supporting all related production and test operations on the floor.
• Influence product design through Design for Manufacturing, Design for Assembly, and Design for Test, ensuring designs are practical and efficient to build.
• Verify all designs incorporate DFM to the level that a technician can build the product independently and consistently.
• Perform tolerance stack-ups and analyses on designs to ensure they can achieve targeted high production rates and maintain quality.
• Review and sign designs and travelers, verifying they meet contractual requirements and internal standards.
• Verify parts and assemblies for manufacturability and confirm that all drawings include inspection and cleaning codes in the product data management system before sign-off.
• Drive make/buy decisions on parts to support production schedules and optimize cost, quality, and lead times.
• Coordinate closely with procurement to ensure parts are on order and meeting required delivery dates, and monitor deliveries through inspection and secondary operations.
• Identify inspection requirements for incoming parts, including any special handling or unique quality considerations.
• Find cost savings opportunities by identifying cost breaks at higher quantities, alternative vendors, or different processes.
• Perform research and development on new processes or vendors as needed to improve manufacturing capability and efficiency.
• Act as the primary point of contact for qualification of new processes with vendors, maintaining at least weekly coordination and status updates.
• Become the subject matter expert on assigned products and lead failure analysis and troubleshooting on non-conforming products, acting as the authority on the product.
• Coordinate and communicate closely with testing teams to ensure smooth integration between manufacturing and test activities.
• Provide proactive floor support and ensure you are not a bottleneck to technicians making progress on the production floor.
• Set up work order packages with travelers, drawings, bills of materials, and other build documentation required for technicians.
• Direct planners on when manufacturing orders are needed, verify manufacturing orders are created, and monitor kitting progress.
• Support nonconformance activities by creating supplemental work instructions or forms for additional work as needed and as quickly as possible.
• Participate as a member of the Material Review Board on nonconformances and corrective and preventive actions.
• Redline travelers and documentation on the fly as required to reflect real-time changes and improvements.
• Support all floor activities, including testing when needed, to maintain throughput and quality.
• Verify that photos of work and of any area being closed out are captured and properly documented.
• Support engineering and inspection documentation packages for customers, ensuring accurate and complete records.
• Drive process improvements including cycle time reduction, production scaling, and yield enhancement.
• Resolve manufacturing issues impacting yield, throughput, and quality through structured problem solving and root cause analysis.
• Design and implement tooling and process solutions to improve manufacturability, repeatability, and safety.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing documentation, including travelers, standard operating procedures, and electronic work instructions.
• Support production floor activities by working directly with technicians, mentoring them, and providing clear process guidance.
• Manage manufacturing orders and ensure compliance with quality system requirements and production key performance indicators.
• Track inventory and ensure material readiness to support uninterrupted production.
• Mentor and train technicians on processes and procedures, providing training instruction and development support.
• Lead and participate in continuous improvement initiatives using lean manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies.

• 8–15 years of experience in manufacturing engineering, preferably in aerospace or high-reliability hardware environments.
• Strong experience scaling production environments and taking products from development into high-rate production.
• Deep understanding of manufacturing processes, quality systems, and production key performance indicators.
• Proficiency in Design for Manufacturing, Design for Assembly, and Design for Test.
• Hands-on experience owning end-to-end manufacturing for complex assemblies.
• Proven ability to lead Assembly, Integration, and Test activities in a production setting.
• Demonstrated capability to perform tolerance stack-ups and analyses for high-volume or high-reliability products.
• Experience driving process improvements, including cycle time reduction and production scaling.
• Strong background in resolving manufacturing issues affecting yield, throughput, and quality through root cause analysis.
• Ability to design and implement tooling and process solutions for complex hardware.
• Experience developing and maintaining manufacturing documentation such as travelers, SOPs, and electronic work instructions.
• Competence in managing manufacturing orders and ensuring adherence to quality requirements.
• Experience coordinating with procurement and managing material availability and inventory readiness.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and train technicians, including developing and delivering training instructions.
• Working knowledge of lean manufacturing principles and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Familiarity with CAD software for reviewing and influencing product and tooling designs.
• Experience with high-reliability manufacturing practices and standards.
• Knowledge of IPC-620 or similar standards for high-reliability electrical and cable assemblies.

• Experience serving as the manufacturing owner for assigned parts and products, ensuring readiness, quality, and delivery performance.
• background in aerospace or space hardware manufacturing, including spacecraft or advanced manufacturing projects.
• Experience supporting nonconformance investigations and participating in Material Review Board activities.
• Familiarity with creating and maintaining electronic work instructions for complex assemblies.
• Experience identifying inspection requirements and special handling needs for incoming parts.
• Exposure to research and development of new manufacturing processes or vendor capabilities.
• Experience acting as the primary point of contact for vendor process qualification and ongoing coordination.
• Demonstrated ability to drive make/buy decisions based on cost, schedule, and quality considerations.
• Experience supporting customer documentation packages and compliance-related documentation.
• Comfort working directly with technicians on the production floor, providing real-time support and guidance.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative, and innovative environment.
• Strong communication and coordination skills across design, test, procurement, and production teams.

The role is based in a fast-paced manufacturing environment that combines cleanroom facilities with office space. You will spend significant time on the production floor working directly with technicians and supporting Assembly, Integration, and Test activities, as well as time in an office setting for design reviews, documentation, and coordination with cross-functional teams. The environment emphasizes high-reliability aerospace hardware, structured quality systems, and disciplined production processes. Work is typically performed in business casual attire, with additional cleanroom garments or protective equipment as required by specific areas and tasks. The culture values innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, and offers competitive benefits and clear opportunities for professional growth while working on cutting-edge spacecraft manufacturing projects.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Littleton, CO.

The pay range for this position is $65.00 - $78.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Littleton,CO.

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 2, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.