Lightship

Manufacturing Engineer

Lightship$78K — $98K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering or equivalent experience
  • 3+ years in hardware manufacturing
  • Proficient in CAD for designing tooling
  • Experience in building and improving manufacturing processes
  • Ability to read GD&T drawings
  • Skills in capacity planning and line balancing
  • Familiar with Google Workspace or similar tools
  • Strong multitasking and interpersonal skills in fast-paced settings.

Responsibilities

  • Interpret engineering drawings to design efficient manufacturing processes
  • Select and procure equipment and tools that align with specifications
  • Apply process improvement methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma
  • Collaborate on capacity planning and lead yield improvement projects
  • Estimate manufacturing costs and set time standards
  • Investigate quality issues and implement corrective actions
  • Create and maintain essential production documentation

Benefits

  • Comprehensive healthcare including dental and vision
  • 401k retirement plan
  • Generous Paid Time Off policy
  • 13 company holidays with year-end downtime
  • 12 weeks paid parental leave
  • Yearly travel stipend for RV trips or professional development
Full Job Description
About the Role

As a Manufacturing Engineer, you'll help build the processes, tooling, and documentation that our production floor runs on, much of which doesn't exist yet in mature form. You'll evaluate how we build vehicles today, design safer, faster, and better ways to do it.

You'll work directly with technicians, peer engineering, and quality to solve real floor problems, then translate those solutions into repeatable processes in the form of work instructions, tooling fixtures, and time standards.

This is an in person, in office role 5 days a week with willingness to work extended hours and weekends when necessary.

Responsibilities

  • Interpret engineering drawings and apply manufacturing knowledge to design efficient, high-quality processes, jigs, and workstations
  • Select and procure equipment, tools, and fixtures that meet Lightship specifications, balancing near-term need with long-term reliability
  • Apply structured problem-solving and process improvement methods (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) to reduce waste and improve quality
  • Support line capacity planning and lead yield improvement projects in collaboration with production and engineering
  • Estimate manufacturing costs, determine time standards, and recommend tooling and process requirements
  • Investigate quality feedback, drive corrective action, and confirm it holds
  • Develop and maintain production documentation (work instructions and test procedures)
  • Complete readiness assessments and support successful launches into production
  • Provide floor-level troubleshooting support and guidance to production personnel
  • Participate in daily standup to keep the team aligned on daily goals


Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Electrical, Materials, Industrial Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
  • 3+ years of experience in a hardware manufacturing environment
  • CAD experience for jig, fixture, and workstation design
  • Experience building or substantially reworking manufacturing processes, tooling, or documentation
  • Ability to read and apply GD&T drawings and technical documents
  • Comfortable planning capacity, floor layout, and line balancing
  • Solid working knowledge of Google workspace or equivalent tools
  • Self-motivated, able to multitask, and thrives under general direction in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment
    Strong interpersonal and cross-functional communication skills


Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in automotive, aerospace, or another regulated manufacturing environment
  • CATIA preferred CAD experience
  • Experience with NPI and transition to production
  • Project management experience
  • Experience with Atlassian suite of products (Jira / Confluence)
  • Experience with facility layout and expansion in a hardware Manufacturing/Production environment
  • Experience implementing and troubleshooting MES systems
  • Experience with DFM/DFA feedback across complex electro-mechanical systems


$78,000 - $98,000 a year

Employee Benefits & Philosophy - Applies to Full Time Employees only

- Healthcare, Dental, Vision

- 401k

- Flexible Paid Time Off - that we actually want you to use!

- 13 Company Holidays: 8 throughout the year + the company observes a week of scheduled downtime during the end of the year, allowing all employees to enjoy a break

- 12 weeks paid parental leave

- Yearly LightTrip stipend for an RV trip &/or professional development opportunities

Lightship offers all of its full time employees and their dependents full benefits including health, dental and vision insurance. We are on a mission to create a more healthful all-electric experience for a pastime that millions of families enjoy and believe strongly that our team should not have to worry about quality healthcare for themselves or their loved ones along the way.

About Lightship

Lightship is a technology company that specializes in developing advanced airships for various applications. The company's airships are designed to provide a low-cost, low-carbon alternative to traditional aircraft for a range of missions, including cargo transport, surveillance, and communications. Lightship's airships are powered by a combination of solar panels and batteries, which allows them to operate for extended periods without refueling. The company was founded in 2012 and is based in Washington, DC.
Learn more about Lightship
Size
50 employees
Industry
Founded
2012

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