Lead Manufacturing Engineer

Brightpath Associates LLC; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Brightpath Associates LLC seeks a senior Manufacturing Engineering Leader to oversee solid rocket motor production, including propellant mixing, casting, and case bonding. You will ensure on-time delivery of flight hardware while upholding DoD compliance and safety standards.

The role emphasizes ownership of the end-to-end manufacturing value stream, driving automation, MES integration, PFMEA, and control plans to scale production and improve first-pass yield.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• Minimum of 7 years of hands-on experience in an aerospace manufacturing environment or equivalent.
• At least 3 years in formal leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of manufacturing engineers in solid rocket motor production.
• Ensure on-time delivery of flight hardware with zero safety incidents and DoD compliance.
• Own the entire solid motor manufacturing value stream and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Manufacturing engineering

Aerospace manufacturing

Root-cause analysis

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

PFMEA

Control plans

Process automation tools

Job description

Lead a team of manufacturing engineers in the daily execution of solid rocket motor production, including propellant mixing, casting, case bonding, and proof/acceptance testing.

Ensure on-time delivery of flight hardware while maintaining zero safety incidents and full compliance with DoD regulations.

Process Ownership and Continuous Improvement. Own the entire solid motor manufacturing value stream. Develop, qualify, and continuously improve processes, tooling, and facilities to increase throughput, reduce labor hours, and achieve first-pass yield targets. Implement automation, digital thread/MES, and advanced inspection techniques to support rapid production scaling.

Technical Authority and Customer Interface. Serve as the primary technical interface to Design Engineering, Program Management, Quality, EHS, and the customer on producibility, non-conformances, and anomaly resolution.

Lead root-cause and drive robust corrective actions for defects or process escapes.

New Product Introduction and Capacity Expansion.

Lead manufacturing readiness for new solid motor designs, including process development, PFMEA, control plans, and qualification builds.

Plan and execute capital projects for the installation of mixers, casting facilities, and automated insulation/liner application. Safety and Regulatory Compliance. Enforce strict adherence to energetic materials safety standards (NFPA 495, DOD 4145.26M).

Author and maintain explosive safety submissions, hazard analyses, and operating procedures. Champion a strong safety culture across the team. Team Development. Mentor junior engineers and technicians, conduct performance reviews, and build succession plans. Foster a culture of ownership, urgency, and technical excellence.

Basic Requirements

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• Minimum of 7 years of hands-on experience in an aerospace manufacturing environment or equivalent.
• At least 3 years in formal leadership.

Preferred Experience

• Proven track record leading production of solid rock motors from development through sustained rate production.
• Deep expertise in propellant formulation, vacuum casting, case-bonded grain design, liner/insulator systems, and non-destructive evaluation of energetic articles.
• Demonstrated success scaling hazardous processes while reducing cost per pound and labor hours per motor.
• Prior work on orbital launch vehicles, strategic systems, missile defense, or hypersonic programs.
• Aptitude for mentoring teams and influencing cross-functional stakeholders in a fast-paced, resource-constrained startup environment.

Leadership Qualities

• Bias to Action and Creative Problem Solving. Desire and experience questioning assumptions in ways that lead to break through ideas that are ultimately implemented. Successfully bring in applicable processes/concepts/materials from other industries to achieve efficiency gains. Ability to personally resolve minor issues in development without requiring significant support.
• High Commitment, High Initiative. A successful candidate will have a genuine passion for mission and consistently look for ways to contribute to the company's technical goals and prevent hardware blockers. Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere. Strong sense of accountability and integrity.
• Clear Communicator. Proactively communicates blockers. Trusted in previous roles to be voice of company with regulators, suppliers, gate keepers and customers. Capable of tactfully managing relationships with stakeholders to achieve company desired outcomes without compromising relationships. Emails, IMs and verbal interactions are logical, drive clarity, and detailed enough to eliminate ambiguity.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.