Manufacturing Engineer

Forterra; Clarksburg (MD); On-site; USD 115,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Paid time off (PTO)

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Forterra in Maryland is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to develop, validate, and optimize integration processes for autonomous vehicle systems—from prototype through full‑rate production. You’ll collaborate with design, systems, integration, and production teams to bring new solutions to life and ensure they’re built right, every time.

This role requires hands‑on problem solving, strong documentation skills, and the ability to lead continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering (or related field).
• 3–6 years of hands-on experience in a manufacturing engineering role, ideally with exposure to both low‑volume prototyping and scalable production.
• Experience creating and maintaining detailed build documentation.
• Background in automotive, aerospace, robotics, or similar system‑level integration environments.
• Proven ability to design, iterate, and validate processes across mechanical and electrical domains.
• Excellent communication skills—you can translate engineering requirements into technician‑friendly instructions.
• Self‑starter with strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to work cross‑functionally in fast‑paced settings.
• Knowledgeable in using 8D problem solving to troubleshoot and solve complex technical problems.
• Solid understanding of mechanical and electrical assembly processes, including torque specs, fixturing, and connector systems.
• Proficiency with CAD (e.g., Inventor, SolidWorks, Creo) and documentation tools.

Responsibilities

• Act as the manufacturing liaison between engineering and production teams, ensuring a smooth transition from concept to repeatable builds.
• Provide hands‑on engineering support to troubleshoot and resolve technical problems in production.
• Create and maintain process documentation: work instructions, torque specs, visual aids, and build checklists. To include Process Flow Diagrams, PFMEAs, and Control Plans.
• Lead DFM/DFA reviews and provide actionable feedback to design and integration engineers.
• Support prototype builds and evolve them into production‑ready processes with clear documentation and quality controls.
• Improves manufacturing efficiency by analyzing and planning workflow, space requirements, and equipment layout. This includes driving product waste reductions.
• Lead continuous improvement activities as applicable.

Skills

Manufacturing engineering

Problem solving

Cross-functional teamwork

CAD software

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering

Tools

CAD (Inventor/SolidWorks/Creo)

Documentation tools

Job description

About Forterra

At Forterra, we are unleashing autonomy at scale to transform the battlefield. Our mission is to build the foundational platforms that enable an intelligent ecosystem to coordinate, adapt, and execute with speed and precision even in the uncertainty and disruption of modern conflict. In an era marked by rapid technological change and evolving threats, we design for flexibility, survivability, and operational dominance.

About the role

As a Manufacturing Engineer, you’ll be responsible for developing, validating, and optimizing integration processes for autonomous vehicle systems—from prototype through full-rate production. You’ll collaborate closely with design, systems, integration, and production teams to bring new solutions to life and ensure they’re built right, every time.

What you'll do

• Act as the manufacturing liaison between engineering and production teams, ensuring a smooth transition from concept to repeatable builds.
• Provide hands‑on engineering support to troubleshoot and resolve technical problems in production.
• Create and maintain process documentation: work instructions, torque specs, visual aids, and build checklists. To include Process Flow Diagrams, PFMEAs, and Control Plans.
• Lead DFM/DFA reviews and provide actionable feedback to design and integration engineers.
• Support prototype builds and evolve them into production‑ready processes with clear documentation and quality controls.
• Improves manufacturing efficiency by analyzing and planning workflow, space requirements, and equipment layout. This includes driving product waste reductions.
• Lead continuous improvement activities as applicable.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering (or related field).
• 3–6 years of hands‑on experience in a manufacturing engineering role, ideally with exposure to both low‑volume prototyping and scalable production.
• Experience creating and maintaining detailed build documentation.
• Background in automotive, aerospace, robotics, or similar system‑level integration environments.
• Proven ability to design, iterate, and validate processes across mechanical and electrical domains.
• Excellent communication skills—you can translate engineering requirements into technician‑friendly instructions.
• Self‑starter with strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to work cross‑functionally in fast‑paced settings.
• Knowledgeable in using 8D problem solving to troubleshoot and solve complex technical problems.
• Solid understanding of mechanical and electrical assembly processes, including torque specs, fixturing, and connector systems.
• Proficiency with CAD (e.g., Inventor, SolidWorks, Creo) and documentation tools.
• Comfort working in shop/lab environments and directly supporting build teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with autonomous vehicle hardware or similar sensor/compute integrations.
• Exposure to low‑volume, high‑mix production environments.
• Experience with leading root cause analysis, PFMEA development, and familiarity with Six Sigma/Lean tools.
• Passion for building things that actually ship—and a desire to help others do the same.
• Experience with tooling/die design development to include check fixtures.

US Salary Range

$115,000—$140,000

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full‑time, high‑demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full‑time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA‑eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long‑term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption.
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after‑tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.

CLEARANCE ELIGIBILITY - This position may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance. For more information about U.S. Security Clearances:

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in all personnel practices.Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any factor, including veteran and disability status, and criminal history, in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Forterra is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.