Manufacturing Development Engineer

We are seeking an experienced Manufacturing Development Engineer to help productionize and scale complex advanced manufacturing capital equipment. This individual will own the translation of complex machine technology from development and proof of concept into repeatable, reliable, and scalable manufacturing execution.

The role is highly hands-on and focused on the build, integration, commissioning, qualification, troubleshooting, and production handoff of complex electromechanical machinery. The ideal candidate has experience working with capital equipment, industrial automation, aerospace systems, semiconductor equipment, additive manufacturing systems, or other complex machinery.

This position works closely with Design Engineering, Controls/Software, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and R&D to improve machine manufacturability, reliability, quality, and production readiness.

Location: Torrance/Long Beach, California
Work Environment: On-site office, factory, and hands-on manufacturing environment

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary manufacturing development engineering owner for one or more critical machine subsystems, modules, or manufacturing processes.
• Develop a deep technical understanding of assigned systems, including system architecture, operating modes, controls, interfaces, interactions, and failure modes.
• Own manufacturing readiness of complex machine systems from development through build, integration, commissioning, validation, qualification, and production handoff.
• Build and commission complex electromechanical machinery and support the transition of systems from development into repeatable production.
• Develop and continuously improve clear, accurate, and executable work instructions, standard operating procedures, test procedures, and manufacturing documentation.
• Lead complex technical troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and corrective actions to improve machine reliability, uptime, quality, and repeatability.
• Identify and resolve early-life and design-related issues encountered during machine build, commissioning, and deployment, working directly with design teams when necessary.
• Partner with Design Engineering, Automation, Controls/Software, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and R&D to improve manufacturability and execution.
• Drive improvements in Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), tolerances, process capability, tooling, fixtures, and cycle time.
• Support engineering changes through PLM, configuration management, change control, implementation planning, and production cut-in.
• Develop and improve manufacturing processes for complex, low-volume or custom-built equipment.
• Support the replication and scale-up of manufacturing equipment and processes as production volume increases.
• Mentor engineers and technicians while promoting strong technical ownership, documentation, problem-solving, and follow-through.
• Over time, take ownership of leading the build, commissioning, and production readiness of complete machine systems.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical discipline preferred.

Experience

• Experience in manufacturing development engineering, manufacturing engineering, equipment engineering, systems integration, or a related technical discipline.
• Demonstrated experience working with complex electromechanical machinery or capital equipment.
• Experience building, integrating, commissioning, or bringing up complex machines or equipment.
• Strong technical troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and corrective action experience.
• Experience developing high-quality technical documentation, including work instructions, SOPs, test procedures, and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to understand complex systems at the subsystem level, including mechanical, electrical, controls, software, and system interfaces.
• Comfortable working in a highly hands-on and manually intensive manufacturing environment.

Desired Skills

• Strong systems-thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• High level of technical ownership and accountability.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex equipment and identify root causes rather than simply address symptoms.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively across engineering and operations teams.
• Ability to translate engineering requirements into clear, executable manufacturing processes.
• Comfortable working in ambiguous, fast-paced environments where processes are still being developed.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to technical rigor and documentation quality.
• Ability to mentor engineers and technicians and raise technical standards across the team.

Technical Competencies

• Complex machine build and integration
• Equipment commissioning and qualification
• Manufacturing readiness
• Productionization and production handoff
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA/RCCA)
• Technical troubleshooting and failure analysis
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
• Design for Assembly (DFA)
• Tolerance analysis and process capability
• Tooling and fixture development
• Test equipment and calibration tools
• Work instructions and SOP development
• Manufacturing and test procedures
• Configuration management
• Engineering change control
• PLM systems
• MES systems
• Machine reliability and uptime improvement
• Cycle time and process optimization
• Systems integration
• Motion control and servo systems

Software & Systems

Experience with the following is beneficial:

• PLM systems
• MES platforms
• Configuration management systems
• Engineering change management systems
• Manufacturing documentation systems
• CAD and engineering tools
• Test and measurement equipment

Preferred Background

Candidates with experience in the following environments are particularly encouraged to apply:

• Capital equipment manufacturing
• Industrial automation and robotics
• Aerospace and defense manufacturing
• Semiconductor manufacturing equipment
• Additive manufacturing / metal 3D printing / LPBF
• Advanced manufacturing systems
• Custom machinery and engineered equipment
• Complex electromechanical systems
• Low-volume, high-complexity production environments

Experience with motion control, servo systems, or implementation of automated motion systems is particularly valuable.

Candidates who have owned a subsystem of a complex machine—such as optics, fluidics, coolant systems, gas flow, motion stages, controls, or similar systems—are especially relevant.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The strongest candidates will have experience taking a complex machine from build → integration → commissioning → validation → qualification → production.

They should be comfortable physically working with equipment, troubleshooting issues on the manufacturing floor, and collaborating directly with engineering teams to resolve technical problems.

This role is best suited for someone who has built and commissioned complex equipment, rather than someone whose experience is limited to operating, maintaining, or manufacturing individual components or piece parts.

Experience in aerospace assembly/integration, capital equipment, semiconductor equipment, industrial automation, robotics, or additive manufacturing can provide a strong foundation for success in this role.