Manufacturing Engineer - Tooling

Manufacturing Engineer - Tooling

Date: Sep 11, 2026

Location: El Cajon, CA, US

Company: GKN Aerospace Careers

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

The Manufacturing Engineer – Tooling will provide Manufacturing Engineering capability to operational and development Programs to enable and deliver zero defect projects utilizing engineering and problem solving skills. Accountable for delivering robust, capable manufacturing process technology as it applies to materials, tooling, part fabrication and assembly.

Job Responsibilities

• Accountable for tool fabrication quotes, tooling input for new product quotes, tooling configuration changes that involve cost estimation, schedule coordination, and implementation

• Exemplifying a safety-first mind-set and ensuring compliance with the GKN Aerospace Health, Safety and Environmental policies and standards.

• Responsible for the development of technical solutions to complex problems within GKN Aerospace, our customers and suppliers.

• Deliver technical support of manufacturing process development and integration for production. 

• Utilize root cause analysis, preventative and corrective action to reduce/eliminate non-conformances.

• Maintain positive, team relationships with internal and external customers, as well as co-workers

• Continuously improve production processes by implementing Lean initiatives.

• Responsible for the development of tooling solutions to complex problems through:

• The implementation of tooling, from original concept through to production. Design this tooling for high degree of process capability utilizing the GKN standard Zero Defect Manufacturing (ZDM) tool suite to demonstrate as such.

Job Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, or lieu of degree 5+ years of tool design experience

• 3+ Years of tool design experience in a Manufacturing environment, preferably in an aerospace environment

• 1+ year of design experience using NX, Catia or Solidworks CAD/CAM software

• Must be a US Citizen or Green Card Holder due to program security clearance requirements and/or SSA requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• GKN experience

• Aerospace industry experience

• Machining and assembly experience strongly preferred

• Ability to read blueprints

• Experience with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)

• Working knowledge of quality system models such as ISO9000, AS9100, or D1-9000

• Increasingly able to provide Technical input at all levels of work

• Identifies and anticipates technical problems and offers solutions

• Drives to complete the job on time and continually searches for better ways of doing things

• Understands situations by analyzing them logically and uses information in a systematic way identifying appropriate course of action for resolution.

• Ability to apply complex and non-routine analysis

• Competent member of the technical community with a good understanding of other disciplines

• Acts without supervision in own area whilst able to supervise others.

• Applies knowledge and skills to a range of activities

• Understands the formal and informal structure of the business

We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.​
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Nearest Major Market: San Diego