Senior Tooling Engineer

Apera; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Apera is seeking a Tooling Engineer to support prototype manufacturing, structural integration, and test operations in a fast-paced aerospace development environment in Los Angeles. You will design tooling, fixtures, and integration hardware, collaborate across manufacturing and engineering, and drive rapid-turn tooling solutions using machining, additive manufacturing, and composite fabrication.

Applicants should have a Bachelor's in Mechanical/Aerospace/Manufacturing engineering, hands-on

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or related Engineering field.
• Strong engineering fundamentals and hands-on hardware experience.
• Experience with CAD and mechanical design.
• Familiarity with machining, welding, forming, and manufacturing processes.
• Working knowledge of GD&T and engineering drawings.
• Ability to work in rapid development and prototype environments.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop tooling, fixtures, and integration hardware for prototype builds and test campaigns
• Support fabrication, assembly, and integration activities across manufacturing and engineering teams
• Coordinate with structures, manufacturing, and test engineering to define tooling and process requirements
• Develop rapid-turn tooling solutions using machining, additive manufacturing, and composite fabrication methods
• Perform tooling validation, fit checks, and hands-on troubleshooting during builds
• Drive tooling improvements to reduce build time and improve repeatability
• Maintain tooling documentation, configuration control, and safety compliance
• Manage vendor coordination and tooling schedules to support development milestones

Skills

Tooling design

CAD design

GD&T

Machining

Welding

Forming

Prototype environments

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

CATIA

NX

SolidWorks

Job description

Seeking a Tooling Engineer to support prototype manufacturing, structural integration, and test operations in a fast-paced aerospace development environment.

Responsibilities:

• Design and develop tooling, fixtures, and integration hardware for prototype builds and test campaigns
• Support fabrication, assembly, and integration activities across manufacturing and engineering teams
• Coordinate with structures, manufacturing, and test engineering to define tooling and process requirements
• Develop rapid-turn tooling solutions using machining, additive manufacturing, and composite fabrication methods
• Perform tooling validation, fit checks, and hands-on troubleshooting during builds
• Drive tooling improvements to reduce build time and improve repeatability
• Maintain tooling documentation, configuration control, and safety compliance
• Manage vendor coordination and tooling schedules to support development milestones

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or related Engineering field
• Strong engineering fundamentals and hands-on hardware experience
• Experience with CAD and mechanical design
• Familiarity with machining, welding, forming, and manufacturing processes
• Working knowledge of GD&T and engineering drawings
• Ability to work in rapid development and prototype environments

Preferred:

• Experience with prototype tooling and low-volume manufacturing
• Familiarity with additive manufacturing and composite fabrication
• Experience using CATIA, NX, or SolidWorks
• Background supporting aerospace or high-performance hardware programs