Lead Manufacturing Engineer – Solid Rocket Motors

Brightpath Associates LLC; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Brightpath Associates LLC seeks a Lead Manufacturing Engineer to direct solid rocket motor manufacturing. You will lead a multidisciplinary team through manufacturing from mixing and casting to final testing, owning the value stream and bridging design with shop-floor execution.

The role requires 7+ years in aerospace/defense manufacturing, 3+ years of leadership, and strong experience with ITAR and AS9100/ISO 9001. Onsite in Torrance, CA, with visible impact on safety and quality.

Qualifications

• BS in a relevant engineering field.
• 7+ years hands-on manufacturing engineering in aerospace/defense or high-reliability hardware.
• 3+ years direct technical leadership or engineering management.
• Experience in ITAR-controlled environments and AS9100/ISO 9001.

Responsibilities

• Direct daily engineering operations across solid rocket motor production cells, including propellant handling and testing.
• Drive throughput, labor-hour reductions, and first-pass yield metrics.
• Plan, procure, and deploy capital equipment and automation; establish PFMEAs and Control Plans.

Skills

Leadership

Manufacturing operations

DFMA / producibility

APQP & NPI

ITAR / quality systems

Education

Bachelor of Science in Aerospace/Mechanical/ Chemical/ Materials/ Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

MES

PFMEA

Control Plans

8D / CAPA tooling

Job description

Lead Manufacturing Engineer – Solid Rocket Motors

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent (Onsite)

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced technical leader to direct manufacturing operations for our solid rocket motor product line. In this role, you will lead a multidisciplinary engineering team through every phase of energetic hardware fabrication—from raw chemical mixing and casting to structural case integration and final qualification testing.

You will own the manufacturing value stream, bridge the gap between design engineering and high-rate shop-floor execution, and scale our facilities to meet aggressive defense and aerospace delivery schedules without compromising safety or quality.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct daily engineering operations across all solid rocket motor production cells, including propellant mixing, vacuum casting, core extraction, insulation/liner bonding, and hydrostatic proof testing.
• Drive line throughput, labor-hour reductions, and first-pass yield metrics across the energetic manufacturing lifecycle.
• Scale production capability by deploying automated tooling, MES/digital work instructions, and advanced non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques.

Technical Authority & Root-Cause Engineering

• Act as the final manufacturing authority for Material Review Board (MRB) dispositions, leading rigorous root-cause investigations (8D, 5-Why, Fishbone) and implementing permanent corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Partner with Design Engineering to conduct producibility reviews, drive Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFMA), and resolve discrepancies between flight designs and production realities.
• Represent the company’s manufacturing integrity during customer audits, technical reviews, and non-conformance discussions with DoD and commercial partners.

New Product Introduction (NPI) & Infrastructure Growth

• Guide flight hardware from development builds into qualified, repeatable rate production using standard APQP tools, including Process Flow Diagrams, PFMEAs, and Control Plans.
• Plan, procure, and commission major capital equipment (CapEx) and hazardous-area facilities, such as vertical/planetary mixers, automated lining systems, and remote casting bays.

Energetic Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Champion and enforce uncompromising safety standards across all energetic operations in compliance with DoD 4145.26M, NFPA 495, and local explosive safety requirements.
• Develop, review, and maintain Site Safety Plans, Explosive Safety Submissions (ESS), Process Hazard Analyses (PHA), and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Team Development

• Manage, mentor, and upskill a high-performing group of manufacturing engineers and technicians.
• Establish standard operating cadences, set performance benchmarks, and foster a team culture centered on extreme ownership, technical precision, and rapid execution.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor of Science in Aerospace, Mechanical, Chemical, Materials, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• Experience: 7+ years of hands‑on manufacturing engineering experience within an aerospace, defense, or high‑reliability hardware production environment.
• Leadership: 3+ years of direct technical leadership or engineering management experience leading teams on critical production lines.
• Regulatory: Demonstrated background working within ITAR-controlled environments and aerospace quality management systems (AS9100/ISO 9001).

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven track record scaling solid rocket motor production from low-rate initial production (LRIP) through sustained full-rate manufacturing.
• Direct chemical and mechanical expertise with composite case winding, elastomer liner/insulator application, propellant mixing chemistry, vacuum‑assisted casting, and grain geometry inspection (CT/X‑ray/ultrasonic).
• Practical experience managing capital expansion projects for Class 1, Division 1/2 hazardous locations and remote energetic assembly operations.
• Prior technical contributions to strategic defense systems, hypersonics, missile defense, or orbital launch platforms.
• Lean Six Sigma Green or Black Belt certification.
• Bias for Action: Willingness to challenge conventional production assumptions, adopt manufacturing technologies from adjacent industries, and resolve blockers directly on the shop floor.
• Uncompromising Integrity: Absolute transparency regarding process escapes, safety hazards, and delivery roadblocks.
• Clear Communication: Ability to synthesize complex technical, safety, and operational challenges into actionable solutions for technicians, executive leadership, and military stakeholders alike.

Export Control Compliance

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations (ITAR/EAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder), or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or be eligible to obtain the necessary export authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or Department of Commerce.