About the Role As a Senior Manufacturing Engineer for Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers (PCHEs) at Aalo Atomics, you will own PCHE production from collaborating with design engineering on development and prototyping through to repeatable, qualified manufacturing. You will be the technical authority on the floor for all processes related to PCHE production. This is a senior technical role responsible for defining and maturing Aalo's PCHE manufacturing process from process development and qualification through high-rate production.
Key Responsibilities - Own process development across plate fabrication, cleaning/surface prep, stack-up, diffusion bonding, post-bond machining, final joining, and inspection
- Develop and qualify diffusion bonding parameters (temperature, pressure, time, surface preparation) in partnership with materials and process engineering to achieve full parent-metal bond integrity
- Develop and qualify external suppliers and special-process vendors as needed during prototype and production ramp
- Author and maintain travelers, work instructions, routings, and process specifications that meet nuclear-grade documentation and code requirements
- Lead process development, qualification, and production validation through design of experiments, coupon testing, bond-line metallography, dimensional verification, proof/burst testing, and helium leak testing
- Specify and develop tooling, fixtures, and inspection methods to improve plate alignment, dimensional control, and throughput
- Partner with Quality and NDE teams to develop inspection strategies for internal channel geometry, bond integrity, dimensional conformance, and final pressure-boundary acceptance
- Establish process control plans, capability studies (Cpk), and SPC monitoring for critical-to-quality characteristics
- Drive root cause analysis and corrective action for nonconformances, scrap, and rework - and turn findings into permanent process improvements
- Provide design-for-manufacturability (DFM) feedback to design engineering
- Drive schedule and throughput on PCHE production - identify risks early, solve problems fast, and keep qualification and production milestones on track
- Support reliability and design-validation testing including thermal, pressure-cycle, and environmental testing to establish manufacturing robustness and service readiness
- Specify, select, and justify capital equipment for diffusion bonding furnaces, etching, and inspection assets; support capacity and production planning
- Experience developing controlled processes for pressure-boundary or safety-critical hardware
- Experience with cleaning, contamination control, and surface preparation for metal joining processes
- Experience working with external suppliers or special-process vendors to qualify manufacturing steps
- Develop and document factory standards for etching, bonding, welding, and inspection processes
- Establish full material and process traceability, inspection records, and manufacturing data packages required for pressure-boundary hardware. (ASME BPVC Section VIII, NQA-1 where applicable)
- Success in this role means establishing a qualified, repeatable PCHE manufacturing process with clear process windows, controlled documentation, defined inspection methods, and production readiness.
- Mentor junior manufacturing engineers and technicians; establish process standards and templates for factory-wide deployment
Basic Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Materials, Manufacturing, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline
- 5+ years of hands-on experience in manufacturing/process engineering in precision metal fabrication, heat exchangers, brazing/bonding, or pressure-boundary components
- Deep working knowledge of metal joining processes - diffusion bonding, brazing, or welding - and associated metallurgy
- Demonstrated ownership of manufacturing process documentation, travelers, and process specifications
- Strong command of GD&T, engineering drawings, and dimensional inspection techniques
- Hands-on experience qualifying production processes through First Article Inspection and production ramp
- Experience executing process qualification and validation (coupon testing, metallography, pressure/leak testing)
- Proven root cause / corrective action discipline (8D, 5-Why, fishbone) and data-driven problem solving
- Experience successfully working cross-functionally to deliver manufacturing processes from concept through production handoff
Preferred Qualifications - Experience in nuclear, aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments (e.g., NQA-1, AS9100, ISO 13485, ISO 9001)
- Direct experience with PCHE, diffusion-bonded/compact heat exchangers, or plate-fin heat exchangers
- Experience with photochemical machining/etching processes
- Experience with high-temperature vacuum or inert-atmosphere furnaces
- Experience with HIP, vacuum hot pressing, or similar solid-state bonding processes
- Familiarity with material systems relevant to compact heat exchangers such as stainless steels, nickel-base alloys, or high-temperature alloys
- Hands-on ASME BPVC pressure-boundary qualification experience
- Experience with NDE methods for internal channels and bond lines (RT, UT, CT, dye penetrant, He leak)
- Experience in a greenfield or significant factory buildout
- Knowledge of SPC, Lean, and Six Sigma methodologies
- Experience integrating manufacturing processes with MES/ERP/PLM platforms
- Prior experience in a vertically integrated hardware company where engineers build what they design
- Comfort using data analysis, scripting, and modern AI tools to accelerate process development, documentation, and root-cause analysis.
- Strong communication skills to convey technical reasoning and mission-critical messaging clearly
Physical Requirements & Work Environment Ability to lift up to 50 lbs, stand for extended periods, and work in confined spaces and at heights
- Frequent bending, kneeling, climbing, and working in various positions
- Use of PPE as required
- Factory/shop floor environment with exposure to noise, fumes, heat, UV/arc flash, and moving equipment.
RequirementsMust be based in the United States
Must be willing to work on-site at our headquarters in Austin, Texas
What We OfferCompetitive salary starting at $100,000+
Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
Paid Time Off
Corporate Gym Membership
Candidates only. No recruiters or agencies, please.
