Composites Engineer

Poseidon Aerospace; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Poseidon Aerospace in San Francisco seeks a Composite Manufacturing Engineer to design tooling and processes for fabricating composite airframe components. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in engineering and 2–5 years of relevant experience, particularly in composite fabrication within the aerospace industry. Responsibilities include developing manufacturing processes, working directly with technicians, and ensuring process efficiency. Join us for an opportunity to make an impact in the aerospace field.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years of hands-on composite fabrication or manufacturing engineering experience.
• Strong working knowledge of composite materials and associated processes.
• Ability to design and develop tooling using CAD software.

Responsibilities

• Design and procure tooling and molds for fabrication and assembly.
• Develop and document manufacturing processes for composite airframe components.
• Support prototype builds and transition new designs to production.

Skills

Composite fabrication

Manufacturing engineering

Problem-solving

Technical guidance

Tool design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or Materials Engineering

Tools

CAD software

Basic shop machinery

Job description

About Poseidon Aerospace

Poseidon Aerospace builds and operates unmanned planes for commercial logistics and defense missions. Our two full-size fixed-wing platforms - Heron, a seaplane, and Egret, a STOL aircraft - can carry two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. We are headquartered in San Francisco with satellite offices in Washington, DC and Maine.

Responsibilities

• Design, fabricate and procure tooling, molds, jigs, and fixtures required for fabrication and assembly.
• Develop and document manufacturing processes for composite airframe components, including layup, bonding, curing, trimming, drilling, and assembly.
• Collaborate closely with design engineering to ensure manufacturability, structural integrity, and production efficiency of composite parts and assemblies.
• Work directly with technicians on the floor to support prototype builds, troubleshoot issues, and optimize build quality and efficiency.
• Define material handling, kitting, and cure cycle parameters to ensure process consistency and compliance with specifications.
• Support prototype builds and transition new designs to production, troubleshooting issues on the shop floor.
• Develop detailed work instructions, travelers, and manufacturing documentation.
• Analyze process capability and identify opportunities for cost reduction, yield improvement, and defect prevention.
• Support non-conformance investigations and implement corrective/preventive actions.
• Interface with suppliers on composite materials, tooling, and equipment.
• Provide training, mentoring and technical guidance to production technicians on new processes or tooling.
• Maintain accurate BOM information for all airframe components and subsystems.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, lean manufacturing efforts, and digital manufacturing integration.

Ideal Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or Materials Engineering or equivalent technical experience.
• 2–5 years of hands-on composite fabrication or manufacturing engineering experience in aerospace or related industries.
• Strong working knowledge of composite materials (carbon fiber, fiberglass, epoxy systems) and associated processes (hand layup, resin infusion, RTM, bonding).
• Demonstrated experience supporting technicians and shop-floor operations.
• Ability to design and develop tooling and fixtures using CAD software
• Comfortable working with hand tools, measuring equipment, and basic shop machinery when developing or validating processes.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail in a fast-paced, prototype-oriented environment.
• Strong understanding of GD&T and the ability to apply proper tolerancing to tooling designs and composite fabrication drawings.

Nice to Have

• Familiarity with PLM/MES/ERP systems to help track product lifecycle management and manufacturing processes.
• Experience planning and enforcing project management timelines for complex, multifaceted projects.
• Experience establishing/maintaining revision control and change management processes.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles, 5S and process optimization methods.
• Experience with CAM tools for fabricating tooling or integrating with manufacturing process documentation.
• Regulatory Awareness: Familiarity with FAA or DoD requirements for composite structures.

Even if you don't meet every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply. At Poseidon Aerospace, we value diverse perspectives and are always looking for talented individuals with unconventional backgrounds.