Manufacturing Engineer II in Portland, Oregon at Flighthouse Engineering LLC

Mid-level Manufacturing Engineer with strong hands-on fabrication experience and a deep understanding of composites and prototype build processes. The candidate should be comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment where requirements are defined and refined iteratively, and capable of driving build schedules from planning through execution, while working closely with, and in support of the fabrication team. We are looking for a self-starter who takes ownership of their work and communicates clearly across engineering and fabrication teams.

Responsibilities May Include:

Plan and execute fabrication sequences for prototype aircraft structures and assemblies

Optimize build schedules for efficiency, cost, and schedule constraints

Develop and maintain tooling concepts in coordination with design engineers

Evaluate trade-offs between prototype and production manufacturing approaches

Interface with vendors and suppliers on fabricated part requirements and quality

Facilitate part and assembly ordering with vendors, track, organize and communicate configuration changes along with quality and delivery requirements

Generate and maintain work instructions, build documentation, and BOMs

Design tooling and fixturing for aircraft assemblies and subassemblies

Support hands-on assembly, installation, and rework of aircraft structures and systems

Identify fabrication issues early, work across design and fabrication teams to find practical, expedient solutions

Prepare manufacturing summaries and present build status to program stakeholders

Job Requirements:

Minimum BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field

3–7 years of experience in a manufacturing, fabrication, or production engineering role

Hands-on fabricator — must be comfortable working directly in the shop alongside the build team

Good working knowledge of composite part fabrication using wet layup, prepreg, and VARTM methods

Familiarity with hand tools used for light prototyping (drills, dremels, etc)

Excellent organization skills

Position requires some domestic travel

Must have U.S. person status as defined by ITAR

Desired Skills:

SolidWorks or NX (2+ years preferred)

Microsoft Office — Excel, Word, PowerPoint

FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certificate is a strong plus

Experience with aircraft assembly, both structures and systems

Familiarity with project management and scheduling tools (MS Project, SmartSheet, etc.)