Manufacturing Associate Ii Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

About Electra

At Electra, we're building the EL9 - a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off and lands in 150 feet. Our Ultra Short technology unlocks thousands of new operating locations and enables what we call Direct Aviation: quiet, point-to-point regional travel that gets people from where they are to where they want to go, without the congestion of major airports or the noise of conventional aviation.

A global company, headquartered in Manassas, VA, Electra is backed by Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Safran, has filed for FAA Part 23 type certification, and carries 2,000+ intent to purchase from operators worldwide. We're a team of ~100 people moving fast toward first EL9 test flights in 2027 and certification by late 2029 or 2030. Every hire matters at this stage - and this role is no exception.

The Role

As Electra's Technical Fellow, Manufacturing, you'll be our most senior individual-contributor technical authority on production, quality, and material review for the EL9 program. You'll bring deep, hands-on expertise in nonconformance resolution, liaison engineering, and factory/field production support to a company standing up its manufacturing function from the ground up. This is a rare opportunity to shape how Electra builds and dispositions nonconforming material from first article through low-rate initial production, without the constraints of an established, decades-old bureaucracy.

You'll represent manufacturing engineering to both internal stakeholders and external customers, suppliers, and regulators, and you'll mentor and develop a growing manufacturing engineering team as Electra scales toward production.

What You'll Do

• Serve as the senior technical authority for Material Review Board (MRB) processes, nonconformance disposition, and root cause corrective action across the EL9 production program
• Lead resolution of complex fabrication, assembly, installation, and testing issues, applying advanced design and manufacturing engineering principles to novel problems with no established precedent
• Author, review, and approve manufacturing engineering policy, process, and design practice documentation as Electra builds these functions from scratch
• Interface directly with the FAA and other regulators as a technical focal for safety and airworthiness matters related to manufacturing nonconformances
• Support first article inspections, production readiness reviews, and certification evidence generation in partnership with Quality and Engineering
• Act as a technical mentor and support development manufacturing engineers as the team scales, translating your production experience into repeatable Electra process and training
• Partner cross-functionally with Design Engineering, Quality Assurance, and Supply Chain to resolve issues encountered during build and test

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Aeronautical, Mechanical, or related field)
• 16+ years of experience in aerospace production engineering, spanning concept development, production start and ramp up, testing, and post-delivery support
• Deep expertise in MRB, nonconformance resolution, and root cause corrective action
• Demonstrated experience across multiple aircraft systems - structures, mechanical/hydraulic, avionics, electrical, propulsion
• Experience authoring and approving engineering policy, process, and design practice documentation at an organizational or corporate level
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams through complex design nonconformance resolution
• Experience serving as an FAA-facing technical focal on safety and airworthiness matters
• Strong communication skills and comfort operating in a fast-paced, mission-driven startup environment
• US Person (Citizen or Permanent Resident) required

Bonus Points

• Advanced degree in engineering and/or business (masters, MBA or equivalent)
• Formal recognition as a Technical Fellow or Associate Technical Fellow at a major aerospace OEM
• Experience standing up liaison engineering or manufacturing engineering functions at a new production site
• Experience across composite and metallic structures repair and fabrication
• International or remote deployment experience supporting production, delivery, or in-service modification programs
• Experience with AS9100 quality management systems

Location

Remote candidates will be considered, provided they can travel regularly to both Manassas, VA and Springfield, OH, with an ultimate relocation requirement to Springfield, OH once the manufacturing facility is operational. Manassas, VA preferred.

Compensation

$185,000 - $225,000. This range reflects the anticipated hiring range across all eligible locations; actual compensation is determined based on your relevant experience, skills, and geographic location. Total compensation includes performance bonus, equity participation, and comprehensive benefits.

What We Offer

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance; STD, LTD, and life insurance
• Generous PTO, sick leave, and company holidays
• Paid winter break
• 401(k) with immediate vesting
• Free catered lunches, coffee, snacks, and drinks at our Manassas headquarters
• Free on-site parking