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Castelion · 2 days ago

Lead Manufacturing Engineer - Avionics

Torrance, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

5+ years exp

Castelion is innovating in defense development and production, focusing on rapid design cycles and modern manufacturing strategies. The Lead Manufacturing Engineer will oversee the manufacturing process for avionics hardware, leading a team to ensure operational excellence and innovation in production. This role involves collaboration across various functions to ensure compliance, quality, and efficiency in production processes.

AerospaceGovernmentManufacturingMilitaryNational Security

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Hiring Manager

Andy R.

Responsibilities

Manage, mentor, and grow a team of manufacturing and test engineers/specialists; set team goals, track metrics, and drive continuous improvement

Develop, document, and implement manufacturing processes for avionics assemblies (e.g., PCB/PCBA, electromechanical units, harnesses/cabling, mechanical enclosures, etc.)

Define and build manufacturing workflows, work instructions, Bill of Materials (BOM / MBOM), assembly/test procedures, and tooling/fixtures required for repeatable production

Plan and design factory/build-area layout, select tooling and equipment, manage process validation, and commission production

Participate in design reviews and provide feedback with a focus on design for manufacture (DFM), design for test (DFT), testability, manufacturability, supply chain considerations, and quality

Work cross-functionally with design engineering, quality control, supply chain, procurement, and program management to ensure timely delivery, compliance to requirements, and cost & schedule objectives

Develop and implement test processes (functional testing, environmental testing, acceptance testing as required: e.g., vibration, thermal, EMI/EMC, environmental stress screening) for avionics units, including test benches, fixtures, and automated test systems when needed

Lead root-cause investigations, corrective action plans, and process improvements when manufacturing or test anomalies occur

Define, track and improve manufacturing metrics: yields, throughput, cost per unit, scrap/rework rates, lead times, etc

Champion continuous improvement initiatives using Lean/CI methodologies (e.g., 5S, value-stream mapping, waste reduction, process optimization)

Ensure all manufacturing, assembly, test and quality processes are properly documented (work instructions, procedures, change orders, non-conformance procedures, etc.)

Support audits, configuration-management and traceability requirements typical in defense/aerospace industry environments

Qualification

Manufacturing processesAvionics hardwareContinuous improvementTeam leadershipElectromechanical assembliesManufacturing execution systemsEnvironmental testingAerospace manufacturing standardsCommunication skillsProblem solvingCollaboration skills

Required

Bachelors degree in engineering

5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment with avionics, electronics, PCB/PCBA, and/or complex electromechanical hardware

Demonstrated success in scaling a production operation from development/prototype to high volume production

Experience in leading or mentoring engineers/technicians, and demonstrated team leadership / people management abilities

Strong working knowledge of electronics hardware manufacturing: EEE components, PCBs, electromechanical assemblies, wiring/harnesses, test equipment, and relevant manufacturing techniques

Excellent communication, interpersonal, and cross-functional collaboration skills to interface with engineering, quality, supply-chain, and leadership

Demonstrated commitment to safety, quality, and compliance

Preferred

Comfort operating in a fast-paced, high-stakes, high-reliability environment typical of aerospace/defense startups able to make decisions under ambiguity, handle programmatic/contract demands, and adapt as priorities shift

Experience with manufacturing execution systems (MES/ERP/PLM), production data systems, material resource planning (MRP), and digital manufacturing workflows to manage operations, quality, change control, and configuration

Strong background in manufacturing engineering practices, operations excellence, and continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, process optimization, DFM/DFA, production flow and layout planning, tooling and automation)

Familiarity with instrumentation, sensors, power supply design, multiplexed/serial data interfaces, cabling/harness layout, mechanical-electrical integration, and environmental constraints typical of avionics systems

Experience with environmental acceptance / production acceptance testing: vibration, shock, thermal cycling, vacuum, EMI/EMC, etc

Deep knowledge of aerospace manufacturing standards and regulatory frameworks (e.g., AS9100, NADCAP, applicable military/defense manufacturing standards), including quality management, audit readiness, compliance, and export-control/ITAR requirements

Experience developing or using avionics/software test and automation tools e.g., writing test scripts or frameworks in Python, MATLAB/Simulink, or LabVIEW, and working with avionics-specific test/verification suites, including integration with hardware (e.g., data acquisition, bus protocol, etc), and familiarity with requirements-to-test traceability and generating test reports