Engineering Manager

Position Summary

Applied Aerospace & Defense, formerly PCX, is seeking an experienced and hands-on Engineering Manager to lead our engineering organization in a demanding aerospace manufacturing environment. This role is ideal for an engineering leader with a strong background in traditional machining, aerospace manufacturing processes, and manufacturing engineering who enjoys solving complex problems and developing people.

The Engineering Manager will provide technical leadership across engineering and manufacturing, working closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program Management to improve manufacturing performance, resolve technical challenges, and support the successful launch and production of aerospace components.

The successful candidate will combine strong technical expertise with practical manufacturing experience and the ability to coach, mentor, and develop the next generation of engineering talent.

Key Responsibilities

• Engineering & Manufacturing Leadership
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of manufacturing and process engineers.
• Provide technical direction and support for complex manufacturing challenges.
• Apply strong knowledge of traditional machining processes, including CNC machining, turning, milling, grinding, drilling, and related operations.
• Develop and improve manufacturing processes for aerospace components and assemblies.
• Partner with machinists, manufacturing personnel, and production leadership to identify and resolve issues on the shop floor.
• Drive continuous improvement in safety, quality, productivity, cost, and delivery.
• Support new product introduction (NPI), process development, and production launches.
• Review and improve manufacturing methods, tooling, fixtures, workholding, and process documentation.
• Support root-cause analysis and corrective actions for manufacturing and quality issues.
• Ensure engineering processes and documentation meet applicable aerospace, customer, and company requirements.

Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement

• Serve as a primary technical resource for complex manufacturing problems.
• Lead structured root-cause investigations using tools such as 5 Why, Fishbone, 8D, and other problem-solving methodologies.
• Identify opportunities to reduce scrap, rework, cycle time, and manufacturing costs.
• Use data and engineering judgment to develop practical, sustainable solutions.
• Work directly with production teams to troubleshoot problems and implement corrective actions.
• Challenge existing processes and identify opportunities for innovation and improvement.

Talent Development & Leadership

• Build a strong engineering culture focused on accountability, collaboration, technical excellence, and continuous learning.
• Coach and mentor young and developing engineers, helping them build practical manufacturing knowledge and sound engineering judgment.
• Provide hands-on guidance to engineers as they learn machining processes, manufacturing methods, and problem-solving techniques.
• Develop individual growth plans and provide regular feedback and career development opportunities.
• Encourage engineers to spend time on the manufacturing floor and learn directly from experienced machinists and manufacturing personnel.
• Capture and transfer institutional knowledge from experienced employees to the next generation of engineers.
• Create an environment where engineers are encouraged to ask questions, solve problems, and take ownership.

Required Qualifications

• Must have legal authorization to work in the U.S. (no visa sponsorship available).
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• 8+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment, with demonstrated leadership experience.
• Strong practical knowledge of traditional machining and metal manufacturing processes.
• Experience working in an aerospace manufacturing environment or similarly demanding precision-manufacturing industry.
• Strong understanding of machining principles, tooling, workholding, tolerances, GD&T, and manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex manufacturing problems and develop practical solutions.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing engineering principles and process development.
• Proven experience leading, mentoring, and developing engineering personnel.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively with machinists, operators, engineers, quality personnel, and senior leadership.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and project-management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with aerospace specifications, customer requirements, and regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience with CNC machining and CNC programming.
• Knowledge of GD&T and ASME Y14.5.
• Experience with lean manufacturing and continuous-improvement methodologies.
• Experience with root-cause analysis and corrective-action systems.
• Experience with tooling, fixtures, process optimization, and manufacturing automation.
• Experience with ERP/MRP and manufacturing engineering systems.
• Previous experience managing or supervising engineers.
• Experience working with AS9100 quality systems.

Work Environment

This position operates in a precision aerospace manufacturing environment and requires regular interaction with the manufacturing floor. The Engineering Manager should be comfortable working alongside machinists, operators, engineers, and production leadership to understand problems firsthand and develop practical solutions.

This position is currently accepting applications.

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