Project Engineer Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Summary:

The Project Engineer is responsible for leading the development, launch, and ongoing support of plastic fastening solutions used for cable management, panel attachment, and related aircraft interior applications. This role serves as the technical focal point between customers, engineering, manufacturing, quality, and suppliers to ensure successful product development from concept through production.

The Project Engineer manages New Product Introduction (NPI) activities, supports manufacturing processes, defines tooling requirements, selects appropriate materials, creates engineering documentation, and develops 3D models and 2D drawings while ensuring compliance with aerospace industry standards and customer requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead NPI projects from customer requirements through production launch.
• Develop project plans, schedules, and technical deliverables to meet customer milestones.
• Coordinate design reviews, risk assessments, validation activities, and production readiness reviews.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration between engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and program management teams.
• Manage engineering changes and product lifecycle activities.
• Serve as the primary technical contact for customers throughout product development and production support.
• Review customer specifications, drawings, standards, and requirements.
• Participate in customer meetings, design reviews, and technical presentations.
• Provide technical solutions and recommendations to address customer challenges.
• Support quotation and proposal activities by defining technical requirements and manufacturing considerations.
• Create and maintain detailed 3D CAD models and 2D engineering drawings.
• Define product specifications, dimensional requirements, tolerances, and critical characteristics.
• Support prototype development, testing, and validation activities.
• Define injection mold tooling requirements and specifications.
• Collaborate with toolmakers and suppliers on mold design, construction, validation, and troubleshooting.
• Review tooling concepts, mold flow analyses, and manufacturing feasibility studies.
• Support mold trials, process optimization, and production qualification activities.
• Provide technical support for injection molding operations and secondary processes.
• Investigate and resolve manufacturing, quality, and process-related issues.
• Implement corrective and preventive actions to improve product quality and manufacturing efficiency.
• Support process validation, first article inspections, and production approval activities.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on cost, quality, and delivery performance.
• Generate and maintain engineering documentation including drawings, specifications, test plans, and reports.
• Ensure compliance with aerospace industry standards, customer specifications, and internal procedures.
• Support configuration management and document control requirements.
• Assist with qualification testing, certification packages, and customer approval documentation.
• Keeps area clean according to 5S standards
• Follows all compliance safety rules as set by the company
• Research and validate new mold materials, tooling processes and design technologies
• Establishing performance and testing targets for new products and/or product changes
• Other duties as assigned by management

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of projects. Carries out responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include training employees; and resolving any problems as they come up.

No direct reports.

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field.
• 3+ years of engineering experience in product development and manufacturing environments.
• Experience with injection molded plastic components.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD software (SolidWorks, CATIA, or equivalent).
• Ability to create and interpret detailed 2D engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, tooling, and design-for-manufacturing principles.
• Experience managing technical projects and coordinating cross-functional teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Experience in the aerospace industry, particularly aircraft interiors or cabin systems.

• Knowledge of aerospace standards and certification requirements.
• Experience with thermoplastic material selection and qualification.
• Familiarity with mold flow analysis and injection molding process development.
• Knowledge of AS9100 quality systems.
• Experience with root cause analysis and corrective action processes.
• Project management experience in a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Customer Relationship Management.
• Product Development.
• Injection Molding Processes.
• Tooling Development.
• CAD Modeling & Engineering Drawings.
• Problem Solving & Root Cause Analysis.
• Cross-Functional Leadership.
• Continuous Improvement.

Physical Demands & Other Requirements:

While performing the responsibilities of the Project Engineer's job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move loads. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Traveling 1 to 2 days every other week is anticipated.

Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts; fumes; airborne particles & vehicles. Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Kirkhill, Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. All successful candidates must submit to post offer pre-employment physical examination, drug/alcohol screen and background check as a condition of employment.