Manufacturing Engineer

KH Aerospace; Hayward (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

KH Aerospace is seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to bridge engineering development and repeatable production at our Hayward, CA site. You will translate engineering intent into clear, executable manufacturing processes and documentation, ensuring products can be built at scale.

The role includes 25% travel to suppliers and contract manufacturers, supporting NPI and first builds, and collaborating across Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain to resolve issues and improve

Qualifications

• Ability to read, interpret, and validate engineering drawings, CAD models, BOMs, specs, and docs.
• Strong cross-functional communication with engineers, technicians, quality, suppliers, and CMOs.
• Experience with manufacturing process documentation and production readiness.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001 or AS9100 quality systems.

Responsibilities

• Own creation and upkeep of MWIs, SOPs, and production docs.
• Translate engineering data into complete production packages.
• Interface between Engineering and Manufacturing to identify gaps and manufacturability issues.
• Lead ECO/ECR reviews and production rollout for engineering changes.
• Support NPI, prototypes, first builds, and transfers to production.
• Provide hands-on floor support for assembly, troubleshooting, and process improvements.

Skills

Reading drawings

Cross-functional communication

Problem solving

Quick learning

Quality systems awareness

Tools

Jigs and fixtures

Job description

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace (KHA) is an aerospace company specializing in long-endurance unmanned aerial platforms for a wide variety of industries. KHA supports a number of customers to carry out missions involving aerial reconnaissance, survey, communication relay and communications provisioning. Endurance, enabled by effective design, is key to these applications and KHA aircraft utilize cutting-edge aircraft design together with on-board intelligence to deliver value for these customers.

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace (KHA) is an aerospace company specializing in long-endurance unmanned aerial platforms for a wide variety of industries. KHA supports customers carrying out missions involving aerial reconnaissance, survey, communications relay, and communications provisioning. Endurance, enabled by effective design, is key to these applications, and KHA aircraft utilize cutting-edge aircraft design together with onboard intelligence to deliver value for our customers.

We are seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to help bridge engineering development and repeatable production. This role will support both KHA’s internal manufacturing operations and the transfer of production capability to external manufacturing partners.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working with evolving designs, incomplete or changing technical data, and early production builds. You will be responsible for translating engineering intent into clear, executable manufacturing processes and documentation while helping ensure products can be built consistently, efficiently, and at scale.

This position is based onsite in Hayward, CA and requires approximately 25% travel, including travel to domestic and international suppliers and contract manufacturers. Travel may be heavier during production launches or transfers, including occasional multi-week onsite support.

Location: Hayward, CA

Responsibilities

• Own the creation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of Manufacturing Work Instructions (MWIs), standard operating procedures, and other production documentation.
• Translate engineering drawings, CAD models, Bills of Materials (BOMs), specifications, and other technical data into complete and executable production packages.
• Serve as a key interface between Engineering and Manufacturing, identifying gaps, ambiguities, and manufacturability issues before and during production.
• Own manufacturing implementation of engineering changes, including ECO/ECR review, validation, documentation updates, and production rollout.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI), prototype builds, first production builds, and the introduction of new product features and configurations.
• Provide hands‑on production‑floor support for assembly, integration, troubleshooting, root‑cause investigation, and process improvement.
• Develop, qualify, and improve manufacturing aids, tooling, jigs, fixtures, and other production‑support equipment.
• Drive manufacturing process development and optimization to improve repeatability, quality, efficiency, and scalability.
• Support the transfer of manufacturing processes, documentation, tooling, and build knowledge to contract manufacturers and suppliers.
• Provide onsite support during supplier and contract‑manufacturer launches, including training, production readiness, troubleshooting, and stabilization of new manufacturing processes.
• Work cross‑functionally with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, technicians, and external manufacturing partners to resolve production issues and improve manufacturability.
• Provide practical feedback to Engineering based on build experience and production constraints.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience in a hands‑on Manufacturing Engineering role supporting complex electromechanical products.
• Demonstrated ownership of manufacturing processes, work instructions, production documentation, and engineering‑to‑production transitions.
• Experience supporting NPI, prototype builds, first builds, or transfer of products from development into production.
• Experience with engineering change processes such as ECOs/ECRs and configuration control.
• Proven ability to read, interpret, and validate engineering drawings, CAD models, BOMs, specifications, and technical documentation.
• Experience identifying manufacturability issues and converting engineering data into clear, repeatable manufacturing processes.Experience developing or supporting manufacturing tooling, jigs, fixtures, or production aids.
• Strong hands‑on troubleshooting and problem‑solving skills in a manufacturing or production environment.
• Comfortable working with evolving designs, incomplete information, and changing priorities.
• Ability to take ownership of problems and drive them through resolution with limited supervision.
• Strong cross‑functional communication skills and the ability to work effectively with engineers, technicians, quality personnel, suppliers, and contract manufacturers.
• Experience working within a formal quality or configuration‑management environment such as ISO 9001 or AS9100.
• Ability to travel approximately 25%, including occasional extended onsite support during supplier or manufacturing launches.
• Ability to work onsite in Hayward, CA.
• US citizen with the ability to obtain a Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Aerospace, UAS, robotics, automotive, spacecraft, or other complex electromechanical manufacturing experience.
• Experience transferring production to contract manufacturers or external suppliers.
• Experience supporting supplier qualification, manufacturing readiness, or production launches.
• FAA Part 107 certification.
• Model aircraft, drone, RC aircraft, or similar hands‑on technical hobby experience.
• Military experience.

Who We Are

KHA develops the world’s longest endurance fully electric Unmanned Aerial System ("UAS") in our size and weight category. We solve large‑scale worldwide problems by providing persistent overhead services to help our soldiers remain safe in theater, provision rapid emergency communications for disaster relief efforts, enable search‑and‑rescue services to assist emergency response efforts, help anti‑poaching efforts protect the world’s most endangered species, and provide geospatial data to assist in slowing climate change.

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace, Inc. (“Company”) collects and uses Personal Information (as defined by the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”)) for human resources, employment, health and safety, and business‑related purposes and to be in legal compliance. For more information, please read the full notice .

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EEO Statement

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace is committed to providing Equal Opportunity in Employment, to all applicants and employees regardless of, race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, military status, veteran status, handicap, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self‑identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in KH Aerospace’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service‑connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three‑year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.