Composite Engineer

AppleOne Employment Services; Gainesville (FL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

AppleOne Employment Services seeks a hands-on Composites Manufacturing Engineer to lead design, development, and manufacturing optimization of high-performance composite components. Translate customer drawings into reliable processes while improving quality, cost, and cycle time.

The role requires experience with wet layup, vacuum bagging, infusion, or pre-preg and familiarity with aerospace-quality standards. OTAR eligibility and overtime availability are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, or a related discipline.
• At least two years of experience in a composite manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on knowledge of wet layup, vacuum bagging, infusion, pre-preg, or similar fabrication methods.
• Experience working with fiberglass, carbon fiber, hybrid reinforcements, core materials, and resin systems.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, dimensional tolerances, and ply-orientation requirements.
• Knowledge of composite finishing processes, including trimming, sanding, bonding, painting, and mold preparation.
• Strong troubleshooting, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Availability to work overtime as production needs require.
• Ability to satisfy applicable ITAR requirements.

Responsibilities

• Interpret customer CAD models, engineering drawings, and specifications to develop layup plans and manufacturing methods.
• Define process parameters for wet layup, vacuum infusion, pre-preg, and related composite fabrication processes.
• Select fabrics, cores, resin systems, cure cycles, and tooling approaches based on structural and cosmetic requirements.
• Partner with CAM programmers and production teams to create, nest, and cut flat patterns for ply layup.
• Provide hands-on technical support to technicians and operators throughout production.
• Develop and document layup schedules, ply-orientation instructions, vacuum-bagging methods, cure cycles, and tooling-preparation procedures.
• Improve process consistency while reducing defects, material waste, labor requirements, and cycle times.
• Use quality and inspection results to identify process improvements.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing defects and develop corrective-action or rework strategies.
• Support the transition of new composite parts from development into production.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance to ensure components meet dimensional, structural, cosmetic, and customer requirements.
• Support AS9100 or ISO 9001 documentation, process controls, and material traceability.
• Maintain accurate manufacturing instructions and engineering records.
• Help ensure production processes comply with applicable aerospace-quality requirements.
• Support the design and development of composite molds, trim tools, bond fixtures, and other production tooling.
• Evaluate existing components and tooling to identify opportunities for improved quality and manufacturability.
• Assist with reverse engineering when new or replacement tooling is required.

Skills

Wet layup

Vacuum bagging

Infusion

Pre-preg

Layup planning

ITAR compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science

Tools

CAM programming

Mold design tools

Job description

ITAR eligibility and availability to work overtime are required.

We are seeking a hands-on Composites Manufacturing Engineer to lead the design, development, and manufacturing optimization of high-performance composite components. This role is ideal for an engineer who is equally comfortable developing processes at a computer and working alongside technicians on the production floor.

You will translate customer drawings and technical requirements into reliable, repeatable manufacturing processes while improving product quality, cost, and cycle time. The ideal candidate understands how composite components are built and has practical experience with wet layup, vacuum bagging, infusion, or pre-preg processes.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering and Production Support

• Interpret customer CAD models, engineering drawings, and specifications to develop layup plans and manufacturing methods.
• Define process parameters for wet layup, vacuum infusion, pre-preg, and related composite fabrication processes.
• Select fabrics, cores, resin systems, cure cycles, and tooling approaches based on structural and cosmetic requirements.
• Partner with CAM programmers and production teams to create, nest, and cut flat patterns for ply layup.
• Provide hands-on technical support to technicians and operators throughout production.

Process Development and Optimization

• Develop and document layup schedules, ply-orientation instructions, vacuum-bagging methods, cure cycles, and tooling-preparation procedures.
• Improve process consistency while reducing defects, material waste, labor requirements, and cycle times.
• Use quality and inspection results to identify process improvements.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing defects and develop corrective-action or rework strategies.
• Support the transition of new composite parts from development into production.

Quality and Compliance

• Collaborate with Quality Assurance to ensure components meet dimensional, structural, cosmetic, and customer requirements.
• Support AS9100 or ISO 9001 documentation, process controls, and material traceability.
• Maintain accurate manufacturing instructions and engineering records.
• Help ensure production processes comply with applicable aerospace-quality requirements.

Mold and Tooling Support

• Support the design and development of composite molds, trim tools, bond fixtures, and other production tooling.
• Evaluate existing components and tooling to identify opportunities for improved quality and manufacturability.
• Assist with reverse engineering when new or replacement tooling is required.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, or a related discipline.
• At least two years of experience in a composite manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on knowledge of wet layup, vacuum bagging, infusion, pre-preg, or similar fabrication methods.
• Experience working with fiberglass, carbon fiber, hybrid reinforcements, core materials, and resin systems.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, dimensional tolerances, and ply-orientation requirements.
• Knowledge of composite finishing processes, including trimming, sanding, bonding, painting, and mold preparation.
• Strong troubleshooting, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Availability to work overtime as production needs require.
• Ability to satisfy applicable ITAR requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing composite molds, trim tools, or bond fixtures.
• Experience reverse engineering physical components to develop models, molds, or tooling.
• Familiarity with aerospace or automotive composite-quality standards.
• Working knowledge of AS9100 or ISO 9001 quality systems.