Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Socket.dev; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 129,000 - 177,000; Full time

Job summary

Parallel Systems is seeking a Senior/Principal Manufacturing Engineer to own the end-to-end transition from prototype to production, designing a greenfield production site to build our rail vehicle platform at scale. This role leads process flow, station layout, and tooling, with hands-on NPI experience and strong DFx influence.

You will collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering to resolve DFMs, specify fixtures and capital equipment, and develop shop documentation, SPC

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience.
• Led at least one NPI program from prototype to production launch.
• Experience designing and standing up an assembly line or work-cell operation.
• Experience specifying and sourcing fixtures, tooling, and capital equipment.
• Strong DF(M) principles and ability to influence product design from manufacturing perspective.

Responsibilities

• Lead the R&D-to-production transition with scalable, station-based assembly flow.
• Lead NPI, transitioning vehicle designs into validated manufacturing processes.
• Specify and source fixtures, jigs, tooling, and capital equipment.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering to address DFM issues.
• Develop manufacturing process documentation, work instructions, routers, and SPC dashboards.

Skills

5+ years manufacturing eng

NPI program ownership

Assembly line design

Fixtures & tooling sourcing

DFM influence on design

Tools

PFMEA knowledge

Capital equipment sourcing

Vendor lead-times management

Job description

Parallel Systems is pioneering autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles designed to transform freight transportation by shifting portions of the $900 billion U.S. trucking industry onto rail. Our innovative technology offers cleaner, safer, and more efficient logistics solutions. Join our dynamic team and help shape a smarter, greener future for global freight.

Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Parallel Systems is seeking a Senior/Principal Manufacturing Engineer to own the end-to-end transition from prototype to production, designing a greenfield production site from scratch to build our rail vehicle platform at scale. This role will own process flow design, station layout, and tooling. Ideal candidates have led at least one NPI program end‑to‑end and have hands‑on experience standing up assembly lines for complex products.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the R&D-to-production transition, formalizing existing build processes and architecting a scalable, work-cell/station-based assembly flow — including designing a greenfield production site from scratch, with station layout, sequencing, and takt/cycle time allocation.
• Lead New Product Introduction (NPI), transitioning vehicle designs from engineering prototypes into a validated, repeatable manufacturing process.
• Specify, design, and source fixtures, jigs, and assembly tooling required at each station.
• Partner with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering to identify and resolve design-for-manufacturability (DFM) issues, including leading PFMEA for critical assembly processes.
• Identify and help source capital equipment needed to outfit the line, working closely with facilities and supply chain.
• Build manufacturing process documentation, including work instructions, routers, and station standard work.
• Partner with quality engineering to define production data to capture, set process control limits, and enable data capture, validation, and visualization (e.g., SPC dashboards) alongside inspection points and first-article process.
• Act as the go-to technical authority for manufacturing process and assembly line design, providing guidance to other engineers and influencing Parallel Systems' broader approach to production.

What Success Looks Like:

• With in 30 days: You will have deep understanding of the Mk3 vehicle design, its systems, and installation dependencies.
• With in 60 days: You will have developed preliminary concepts for manufacturing facility layouts, estimating space, equipment, and labor requirements along with vehicle throughput. They will present trades to leadership and play a crucial role in deciding near‑term company manufacturing strategy.
• With in 90 days: You will have started a detailed shop layout and process design consistent with the selected manufacturing plan. They will participate in ongoing Mk3 vehicle builds to better understand the design and existing process, and work with the design team to capture additional nuances. They will support procurement of critical long‑lead equipment and fixtures.

Requirements:

• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering.
• Demonstrated ownership of at least one NPI program from prototype through production launch.
• Direct experience designing and standing up an assembly line or work‑cell operation.
• Experience specifying and sourcing fixtures, tooling, and capital equipment, including managing vendor lead times.
• Strong in DFM principles and a track record of influencing product design from a manufacturing perspective.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in rail, transit, aerospace, or heavy equipment manufacturing.
• Experience with large/heavy vehicle subassemblies, including crane‑assisted handling and structural lifting.
• Familiarity with PFMEA methodology and hardware development gate processes (CDR or similar).
• Startup or small‑team experience, with the ability to build manufacturing process from nothing.

We are committed to providing fair and transparent compensation in accordance with applicable laws. Salary ranges are listed below and reflect the expected range for new hires in this role, based on factors such as skills, experience, qualifications, and location. Final compensation may vary and will be determined during the interview process. The target hiring range for this position is listed below.

Target Salary Range:

$129,000 — $177,000 USD

Parallel Systems is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any discriminatory factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. We work to build an inclusive environment in which all people can come to do their best work.

Parallel Systems is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Parallel Systems will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact your recruiter.