Composites Manufacturing Engineer

Palmer Group; Orange City (IA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Rx, life, AD&D insurance

401k match

PTO and holidays

EAP

Tuition

Job summary

Palmer Group is seeking a Composites Manufacturing Engineer to join our on-site team. The role focuses on supporting production, leading new product introduction, and developing manufacturing documentation in a fast-paced composites environment.

You will own and optimize compression molding and curing processes, manage thermal profiles, and work with customers on technical requirements. Strong CAD skills and 3+ years in composites are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field is required.
• 3+ years manufacturing engineering experience in composites or similar environments.
• Strong experience with composite compression molding processes, autoclave thermal profiling, or composites production support.
• Proficiency with CAD tools such as SolidWorks, CATIA V5, or Inventor.

Responsibilities

• Provide shop floor support to resolve production issues, reduce scrap, and improve throughput
• Lead new product introduction, including routing documentation and process setup
• Develop and maintain work instructions, BOMs, and ERP manufacturing documentation
• Own and improve composite compression molding and curing processes, including thermal profiles
• Support process qualification, ensure compliance, and collaborate with customers on technical requirements
• Drive continuous improvement, conduct FMEA, and translate engineering drawings into efficient manufacturing methods, including tooling and cost considerations

Skills

Composite manufacturing experience

FMEA

CAD tools familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

3+ years manufacturing engineering experience in composites

Tools

SolidWorks CAD

CATIA V5

Inventor

Job description

This Composites Manufacturing Engineer role is driven by a surge in new and ongoing programs, creating immediate needs for engineers who can make an impact. The team is expanding to support increased project work across UAV composite development, autoclave and thermal process improvements, and core production, with a focus on scrap reduction and customer issues. This is a hands‑on role for someone who can quickly integrate into a fast‑paced manufacturing environment, take ownership of key projects, and help stabilize and improve operations. You’ll work across process development, continuous improvement, tooling, and shop floor execution with a strong focus on practical problem-solving in a build‑to‑print setting.

Work Model:

• On‑Site

What You Will Do:

• Provide shop floor support to resolve production issues, reduce scrap, and improve throughput
• Lead new product introduction, including routing documentation and process setup
• Develop and maintain work instructions, BOMs, and ERP manufacturing documentation
• Own and improve composite compression molding and curing processes, including thermal profiles
• Support process qualification, ensure compliance, and collaborate with customers on technical requirements
• Drive continuous improvement, conduct FMEA, and translate engineering drawings into efficient manufacturing methods, including tooling and cost considerations

What You Will Need to Be Successful:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field
• 3+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in composites or similar environments
• Strong experience with composite compression molding processes, autoclave thermal profiling, or composites production support
• Proficiency with CAD tools such as SolidWorks, CATIA V5, or Inventor

Benefits Overview:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Rx, life, AD&D insurance
• 401k match
• PTO and holidays
• EAP
• Tuition
• $90,000 – $115,000 per year