Job Title: Manufacturing Engineer III / IVJob Description
This role supports advanced launch and recovery systems within a leading defense and electromagnetic systems environment. As a Manufacturing Engineer III/IV, you will serve as a Manufacturing Project / Product / Work-Package Engineer rather than a traditional floor-based process-improvement engineer. You will own a defined scope of complex hardware from planning through final delivery, overseeing parts and assemblies through every stage of manufacturing. You will manage production schedules and line-of-balance, resolve technical and supplier issues, and coordinate across engineering, quality, procurement, program management, and customers to ensure on-time delivery. Manufacturing execution is managed remotely in partnership with the production site and suppliers in a high-mix, low-volume, government-contracting environment that rewards proactive risk identification and decisive issue resolution.
Responsibilities
Own an assigned hardware scope consisting of numerous part numbers and assemblies from initial planning through final delivery.
Develop, implement, and maintain manufacturing methods, operation sequences, and processes for fabrication of parts, components, sub-assemblies, and final assemblies.
Track parts and assemblies against production schedules and line-of-balance, ensuring alignment with program milestones and delivery commitments.
Identify schedule, quality, supplier, procurement, or technical risks early and develop clear, actionable recovery plans.
Investigate, disposition, and justify product, drawing, and specification nonconformances through the Material Review Board (MRB) process.
Lead manufacturing execution and problem solving by investigating schedule delays, resolving nonconforming hardware issues, and driving root-cause and corrective actions.
Collaborate closely with design engineering to interpret and refine technical specifications and support design-for-manufacturability (DFM).
Provide supplier oversight by participating in or conducting supplier audits and supporting on-site supplier kickoff meetings focused on plans, schedules, and deliverables.
Coordinate engineering changes and change proposals, ensuring accurate and timely completion of government-contracting documentation.
Communicate status and risks across manufacturing, design, quality, procurement, suppliers, program management, and customers to maintain alignment and transparency.
Report project status regularly, escalate risks appropriately, and support budget reviews with the Control Account Manager.
Support new product development activities by helping to define manufacturing processes, resolve early-stage production issues, and improve manufacturability.
Apply lean manufacturing and process-improvement principles to enhance manufacturing efficiency, quality, and repeatability in a high-mix, low-volume environment.
Contribute to nonconformance reporting (NCR), corrective and preventive actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Mentor or support junior engineers and peers as needed, particularly in understanding internal systems, processes, and documentation requirements.
Essential Skills
Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related technical field (Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Industrial, or Electrical preferred; equivalent experience may substitute for education).
Approximately 5+ years of related manufacturing or project engineering experience for Level III roles.
Approximately 9+ years of related manufacturing or project engineering experience for Level IV roles.
Demonstrated technical project or hardware ownership from planning through delivery, including tracking hardware status and schedule or line-of-balance.
Strong manufacturing engineering experience, including development and maintenance of manufacturing methods, operation sequences, and processes.
Hands-on experience with manufacturing execution and problem solving, including investigation of schedule delays and disposition of nonconforming hardware.
Proven ability to lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions to resolve supplier and production-floor issues.
Effective cross-functional communication skills, with experience coordinating across manufacturing, design engineering, quality, procurement, suppliers, program management, and customers.
Experience working in aerospace, defense, shipbuilding, heavy industrial, automotive, electromechanical, machining/fabrication, semiconductor equipment, or similar manufacturing environments.
Exposure to welding, fabrication, and machining processes, particularly in high-mix/low-volume or low-rate production environments.
Ability to interpret engineering drawings and models using basic CAD tools such as SolidWorks, Creo, NX, or CATIA (reading and understanding only; not a design-heavy role).
Comfort operating in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where priorities shift and issues are not always clearly defined.
Strong organizational and project-management skills, including the ability to track multiple part numbers and assemblies simultaneously.
Ability to manage manufacturing execution remotely while maintaining close coordination with production sites and suppliers.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
Experience with nonconformance and MRB processes, including documentation and justification of product and specification deviations.
Background in corrective and preventive action programs and structured root-cause analysis methodologies.
Familiarity with line-of-balance techniques for tracking production status and schedule adherence.
Experience with engineering change proposals and change management in a government-contracting @context.
Design-for-manufacturability (DFM) experience, particularly in complex hardware and high-mix, low-volume environments.
Supplier management experience, including audits, performance oversight, and on-site kickoff meetings.
Knowledge of ISO 9001 quality management systems and related documentation practices.
Exposure to Lean manufacturing and/or Six Sigma methodologies and tools.
Experience supporting or working on government or Department of Defense (DoD) programs.
Background in small to mid-size manufacturing organizations where engineers frequently "wear many hats" and manage broad responsibilities.
Interest in or aptitude for progressing into senior project engineering, technical leadership, or program management roles.
Ability to adapt to a collaborative, team-based work-package structure and potentially lead a small hardware scope or work-package team.
Work Environment
This is an onsite role within a growing Manufacturing Operations engineering organization located in San Diego, CA. The team is expanding significantly and transitioning from a single work-package owner model to a more collaborative, team-based structure. Depending on experience, you may initially work under a senior Manufacturing Engineer, own a subset of hardware, lead a small work-package team, or grow into the lead for an assigned hardware scope. The environment centers on high-mix, low-volume, government-contracting work supporting complex defense hardware, involving thousands of part numbers, low production quantities, and long manufacturing timelines. The pace is fast and highly dynamic, with shifting priorities and issues that are not always clearly defined. Engineers are expected to proactively identify risks and drive issues to resolution rather than waiting for assigned tasks. The manufacturing floor is located remotely from the engineering team, so you will manage execution from a distance while maintaining close coordination with the production site, suppliers, and internal stakeholders. Daily work involves broad cross-functional interaction with manufacturing, design engineering, quality, procurement, supply chain, program management, and customers. New hires should anticipate a 3-6 month ramp-up period that includes shadowing a senior engineer and learning internal systems, processes, and government-contracting documentation. The organization offers direct-hire roles with ownership of mission-critical defense hardware, high visibility across functions, and clear paths toward senior project engineering, technical leadership, or program management, supported by streamlined interview processes and opportunities to lead hardware scopes or small work-package teams.
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of San Diego, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $68770.00 - $116193.00/yr.
Direct placement - full benefits through GA.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in San Diego,CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Aug 19, 2026.
About Actalent
Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.
