Manufacturing Engineer

GKN Aerospace

$70K — $95K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
  • 3+ years of aerospace composite manufacturing experience, including fabrication and curing processes.
  • Working knowledge of composite materials and production methods like layup and bonding.
  • Must be a U.S. Person per ITAR regulations and able to obtain a Department of Defense security clearance.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and sustain manufacturing processes for composite component preparation and assembly.
  • Create manufacturing plans and specifications for complex composite structures.
  • Introduce new composite materials and tooling concepts to enhance capability and cost-effectiveness.
  • Collaborate with design engineering on manufacturing feasibility and materials selection.
  • Prepare labor estimates and tooling strategies for proposals.
  • Lead continuous improvement projects focusing on reducing waste and variability.

Benefits

  • Relocation assistance is available for candidates moving to Tallassee, AL.
  • Access to diverse residential communities nearby, including Auburn and Montgomery.
Full Job Description
Job Summary

As a Manufacturing Engineer, you will support both production and development programs by ensuring manufacturing execution through strong process design, practical problem solving, and continuous improvement. This role involves applying competent working knowledge of composite materials and processes while implementing advanced manufacturing methods across material handling, tooling, fabrication, and assembly.

Job Responsibilities

  • Develop, validate, and sustain manufacturing processes for prepreg layup, autoclave cure, bonding, NDI and NDT, machining, and assembly of composite components.
  • Create manufacturing plans, ply books, process specifications, and tooling requirements for complex composite structures.Lead root cause and corrective action activities using structured problem solving methods.
  • Evaluate and introduce new composite materials, tooling concepts, and cure technologies to improve capability, quality, and cost.
  • Collaborate with design engineering on design for manufacturing, materials selection, laminate definition, and configuration control.
  • Support proposals by preparing labor estimates, tooling strategies, and plans for process development.
  • Drive continuous improvement projects that reduce scrap, rework, cycle time, and process variability.


Job Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
  • 3+ years of experience in aerospace composite manufacturing, including fabrication, tooling, or autoclave/oven-cure processes.
  • Working knowledge of composite materials and production methods such as layup, bonding, and cure.
  • Must be a U.S. Person per ITAR regulations to comply with export compliance requirements, with ability to obtain a Department of Defense security clearance if needed.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Proficiency with PFMEA, control plans, SPC, or other process-control tools.
  • Experience with NDI/NDT techniques (ultrasonic, X-ray, tap test).Familiarity with composite machining, trimming, secondary bonding, or assembly.
  • Leadership or mentoring experience in a manufacturing environment.Lean, Six Sigma, or related continuous-improvement training.


Relocation Assistance

This position is based in Tallassee, AL, with relocation assistance available. Nearby communities such as Auburn, Wetumpka, Opelika, and Montgomery offer a range of residential options within commuting distance.

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