Freelance Certified Manufacturing Engineer Jobs in Reston, VA

Fibertek is seeking a hands-on R&D Manufacturing Director to lead manufacturing of first-of-kind prototypes, demonstration units, and initial low-rate production units for laser and electro-optical systems used in aerospace and space programs. This includes deliverable engineering development units (EDUs) and flight units as well as low-rate initial production. In addition to manufacturing execution, this role oversees production planning, Assembly Integration and Test (AI&T) processes, and manufacturing engineering across the R&D organization.

This is not a purely managerial role. The Director will be actively involved in day-to-day manufacturing execution while improving Fibertek's manufacturing capability, including updating core processes, leading implementation efforts for a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), and helping to scale production capacity. The role serves as the operational link between engineering, configuration management, quality, supply chain, planning, and the build teams.

Job Duties and Responsibilities: Shop & Operations Ownership Provide technical & execution oversight of production shops, including optical and electronics assembly, parts cleaning, and machine shop operations Identify constraints and drive improvements across the production floor Production Planning & Execution Develop work instructions in collaboration with design engineers that result in efficient assembly and testing with predictable hardware delivery outcomes Ensure build packages, travelers, drawings, and procedures are complete, controlled, and build-ready Ensure build schedules and resources are realistic and executable Serve as the primary escalation point for manufacturing execution issues Manufacturing Engineering & Process Improvement Responsible for Design for Manufacturing (DFM) feedback and definition of build strategy and flow. Standardize and continuously improve manufacturing processes for repeatability, traceability, and throughput Select, implement, and operationalize a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) aligned with optical and laser manufacturing needs Resolve nonconformances and production issues using structured root cause analysis AI&T Process Ownership Serve as the process owner from released design through assembly & integration Act as the integration point between engineering, configuration management, quality, safety & mission assurance, supply chain, planning, and builders Facilities & Team Leadership Lead and develop the manufacturing engineering team while remaining hands-on Partner with leadership to plan facility improvements aligned with future program needsExperience and Expertise Required: 10-15 years of experience in manufacturing engineering or production leadership Experience with optical, laser, electro-optical, aerospace, or space-qualified hardware Experience with transitioning new engineering designs through prototype, manufacturing development, and initial production phases Direct experience with AI&T and controlled build environments Strong understanding of configuration control, build documentation, and traceability Experience with an ERP system such as Deltek Costpoint Experience in an ISO-9001 (or AS9100) certified manufacturing environment Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline (engineering preferred) Proven hands-on leadership style Success in This Role Looks Like: AI&T activities are disciplined, repeatable, and audit-ready Manufacturing issues are identified as early as possible, and resolved quickly Hardware transitions smoothly from engineering into production Manufacturing lessons learned are documented and applied organization-wide resulting in continuous improvement and long-term gains in production efficiency Salary Range: The annual base salary range for this position is $150,000-$225,000. This range reflects the compensation Fibertek reasonably expects to offer for this role.

Placement within the range will depend on factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's experience, education and training, key skills, and relevant market and business considerations.Experience and Expertise Required: 10-15 years of experience in manufacturing engineering or production leadership Experience with optical, laser, electro-optical, aerospace, or space-qualified hardware Experience with transitioning new engineering designs through prototype, manufacturing development, and initial production phases Direct experience with AI&T and controlled build environments Strong understanding of configuration control, build documentation, and traceability Experience with an ERP system such as Deltek Costpoint Experience in an ISO-9001 (or AS9100) certified manufacturing environment Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline (engineering preferred) Proven hands-on leadership style Success in This Role Looks Like: AI&T activities are disciplined, repeatable, and audit-ready Manufacturing issues are identified as early as possible, and resolved quickly Hardware transitions smoothly from engineering into production Manufacturing lessons learned are documented and applied organization-wide resulting in continuous improvement and long-term gains in production efficiency Salary Range: The annual base salary range for this position is $150,000-$225,000. This range reflects the compensation Fibertek reasonably expects to offer for this role. Placement within the range will depend on factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's experience, education and training, key skills, and relevant market and business considerations.