Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanical Assembly

Castelion; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee equity

Paid parental leave

Meals & catering

Snacks & beverages

Fitness stipend

EV charging

Job summary

Castelion seeks a Manufacturing Engineer in Torrance, CA to develop, validate, and stand up processes and tooling for mechanical assemblies. You will balance floor-floor troubleshooting with desk work, releasing work instructions and leading first article through full-rate production.

The ideal candidate will own end-to-end processes from concept through PFMEA, qualification, and on-line troubleshooting, while collaborating with design, quality, and supply chain to meet cost and schedule goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering.
• 3+ years of experience developing or validating manufacturing processes in a production, manufacturing, or experimental environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and release manufacturing processes, work instructions, and process specifications for mechanical assembly operations.
• Design, procure, and qualify production tooling, fixtures, and manufacturing aids for in-house production.
• Lead process validation activities—first article inspections, process capability studies, and PFMEA—to qualify new processes for production.
• Train and certify operators on new and revised processes, owning the process side of workforce ramp-up.
• Establish process controls, manufacturing standards, and inspection requirements to ensure consistent product quality.
• Partner with design engineering to provide DFM feedback and resolve build issues surfaced during production.
• Own real-time troubleshooting on the assembly floor, driving containment and root-cause corrective action for quality, yield, and throughput issues.
• Support the transition of processes from engineering development builds into documented, repeatable production, including workstation design and line layout.
• Work cross-functionally with design, quality, supply chain, procurement, and program management to meet performance, schedule, and cost objectives.

Skills

Hands-on tooling & fixtures

Train/supervise operators

DFMEA/PFMEA knowledge

High-speed production

Automation/robotics

Hand & power tools

Confluence/JIRA familiarity

Clear communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical/manufacturing/aerospace engineering

Tools

Confluence

JIRA

Job description

Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus and technical excellence are decisive advantages - and we are building a team that can deliver real capability, not just concepts.

This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, where your work will directly shape critical systems, influence major technical decisions, and have immediate, real-world impact.

Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanical Assembly

Castelion is seeking a highly skilled Manufacturing Engineer to develop, validate, and stand up the processes and tooling that turn mechanical assembly designs — actuators, mechanisms, and structural sub-assemblies — into repeatable, high-rate production. You will spend as much time on the floor as at your desk: designing fixtures, releasing work instructions, training operators, and driving process validation from first article through full-rate production.

The ideal candidate is comfortable owning a process end-to-end, from concept through PFMEA, qualification, and hands-on troubleshooting on the line.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and release manufacturing processes, work instructions, and process specifications for mechanical assembly operations
• Design, procure, and qualify production tooling, fixtures, and manufacturing aids required for in-house production
• Lead process validation activities — first article inspections, process capability studies, and PFMEA — to qualify new processes for production
• Train and certify operators on new and revised processes, owning the process side of workforce ramp-up
• Establish process controls, manufacturing standards, and inspection requirements to ensure consistent product quality
• Partner with design engineering to provide DFM feedback and resolve build issues surfaced during production
• Own real-time troubleshooting on the assembly floor, driving containment and root-cause corrective action for quality, yield, and throughput issues
• Support the transition of processes from engineering development builds into documented, repeatable production, including workstation design and line layout
• Work cross-functionally with design, quality, supply chain, procurement, and program management to meet performance, schedule, and cost objectives

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, or aerospace engineering
• 3+ years of experience developing or validating manufacturing processes in a production, manufacturing, or experimental environment

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, or aerospace engineering
• 3+ years of experience developing or validating manufacturing processes in a production, manufacturing, or experimental environment

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Hands-on tooling and fixture design experience, from concept through fabrication and qualification
• Experience training or supervising production operators
• Strong understanding of the APQP framework, specifically Control Plans, DFMEA, PFMEA, and managing Significant/Critical Characteristics
• Previous involvement in a high-speed or high-output production environment, with hands-on experience on a production line
• Experience with automation, robotics, and flexible manufacturing systems
• Comfortable using hand tools, power tools, and fabrication equipment
• Familiarity with Atlassian tools such as Confluence and JIRA
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, along with effective teamwork abilities
• Ability to acclimate to frequently changing assignments and a fast-paced working environment
• Employee Equity: Meaningful equity for all full-time employees - share value has increased 150x in three years
• Personal Time Off: Four (4) weeks of paid time off to unplug, reset, and come back sharp—velocity matters, burnout doesn’t
• Medical: We offer plans at 100% employee covered and 80% of dependent coverage
• Dental & Vision: We cover 90% employees and 80% for dependents to ensure you and your family have access to quality preventive and ongoing care
• FSA/HSA: To support long-term health and financial resilience, we offer FSA and HSA options that allow employees to set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible medical and dependent care expenses
• Retirement: 401k plan offered to support long term financial growth along side high-impact, high-velocity work
• Paid Parental Leave: We support growing families with meaningful time to bond and recover. Birthing parents are eligible for up to 10 weeks of paid leave, while non-birthing parents may take up to 4 weeks of paid leave. This time can be used for pre-natal care, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical needs—ensuring every parent has the support they need during this important life moment.8-weeks of paid parental leave for all parents. Additional paid pregnancy leave for CA employees
• Meals & Catering: Frequently catered lunches and team meals, plus company-covered meals when extra time or effort is required
• Snacks & Beverages: Fully stocked kitchen with unlimited snacks and drinks to keep you fueled throughout the day
• Performance & Fitness: $100 monthly fitness stipend to support peak performance and health, both inside and outside of work
• EV Charging: Onsite electric vehicle charging available for employees

Physical Demands

• Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed
• Must be able to travel up to 30%
• Must be able to lift more than 50lbs

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.

This position may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information, as determined by the Company and/or applicable U.S. Government requirements. If the position is so designated, your employment in the role may be contingent upon your ability to obtain and maintain the required U.S. Government security clearance or other government authorization, and to satisfy any citizenship or other eligibility requirements imposed by applicable law, regulation, executive order, or government contract requirements. You will be notified if and when such requirements apply. Failure to obtain or maintain any required clearance or authorization may result in reassignment, leave, or separation from employment, consistent with business needs and applicable law.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.