Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial or equivalent)
2+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering or production optimization
Strong CAD skills, particularly with SolidWorks
Hands-on problem-solver with a collaborative approach
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment
Responsibilities
Design and optimize manufacturing processes for desalination systems
Lead design for manufacture/assembly (DFM/DFA) initiatives
Define equipment selection and establish cycle times and quality metrics
Develop work instructions and validate manufacturing methods
Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency
Collaborate with cross-functional teams and external suppliers
Benefits
Relocation assistance provided
Opportunity to work in a mission-driven startup
Engage directly in impactful water scarcity solutions
Dynamic and fast-paced work environment
Collaborative work culture across multiple engineering disciplines
Full Job Description
Manufacturing Engineer
Los Angeles, CA Area - Relocation Assistance Provided
The Company
Our client is a rapidly growing startup that is on a mission to change the world by solving global water scarcity. They bring together an impressive background in engineering of space systems to develop innovative, desalination systems to tackle one of the world's most critical challenges.
The Job
Our client is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to design and scale manufacturing processes for desalination systems from early builds through high-rate production, leading DFM/DFA, tooling, fixtures, and automation efforts while partnering cross-functionally to define equipment, cycle times, cost, quality, and yield. Own work instructions, layouts, and process validation, and drive continuous improvement to increase throughput, reliability, and cost efficiency in collaboration with procurement, quality, integration, and external suppliers.
Functions
Design, develop and optimize manufacturing processes and production lines for our desalination systems-from first builds through high-rate production.
Lead DFM/DFA initiatives: tooling, fixtures, robot end-effectors, conveyors, automation programming, control systems.
Work cross-functionally to select equipment, define cycle-times, yield targets, cost-per-unit, quality metrics.
Develop work instructions, process flows, layout designs; implement and validate manufacturing methods for new systems.
Own continuous-improvement efforts: reduce cost, increase throughput, improve reliability and uptime in a fast-moving hardware startup environment.
Collaborate with procurement, quality, test, integration teams and external vendors/suppliers to ensure smooth scale-up & ramp-out of manufacturing.
Qualifications
Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial or equivalent).
2+ years professional experience in manufacturing engineering, process development or production optimization (including internships).
Strong CAD (SolidWorks / other) experience and familiarity with manufacturing automation, tooling & fixture design.
Hands-on mindset: comfortable designing the process and also working with operators & equipment to validate and refine.
Strong problem-solving skills, ability to operate in ambiguous/higher-growth environment, clear communicator across teams.
Preferred Skills
Experience in consumer hardware production, or systems with high-volume manufacturing.
Knowledge of pumps, valves, pressure vessels, fluid systems or broadly mechanical-hardware manufacturing.
Experience with automation programming, conveyors, robotics, fluid/pressure equipment.
Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, statistical process control (SPC).
Experience in a hardware startup or mission-driven organization.
