Senior Advanced Manufacturing Engineer Jobs in California

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Robinson Helicopter Company (RHC) is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to support the design, development, and continuous improvement of manufacturing processes used in the production of world-class rotorcraft. 
This role is responsible for transforming engineering designs into robust, efficient, and repeatable manufacturing systems across machining, fabrication, assembly, and testing operations. The Senior Manufacturing Engineer works cross-functionally with Design Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Production to ensure that aircraft components and assemblies are produced safely, efficiently, and in compliance with aerospace regulatory standards. 
Manufacturing engineers in aerospace act as the bridge between product design and factory execution, defining the processes, equipment, tooling, and documentation required to produce aircraft hardware reliably and at scale.  
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Manufacturing Process Development 
•    Develop and implement manufacturing processes for rotorcraft structures, mechanical assemblies, powertrain components, and aircraft systems. 
•    Translate engineering drawings, specifications, and design intent into production-ready manufacturing plans. 
•    Design and validate production layouts, tooling, fixtures, and workstations. 
•    Establish standard work, manufacturing instructions, and process documentation. 

Production Support & Technical Leadership 
•    Provide hands-on engineering support to the factory floor, resolving technical issues affecting production, quality, or schedule. 
•    Serve as the technical authority for manufacturing processes within assigned production areas. 
•    Mentor junior engineers and manufacturing technicians. 
Continuous Improvement 
•    Lead Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and operational excellence initiatives. 
•    Analyze production performance metrics including: 
o    throughput 
o    first-pass yield 
o    cycle time 
o    cost of quality 
•    Identify opportunities to increase productivity, reduce waste, and improve product quality. 
•    New Product Introduction (NPI) 
•    Support introduction of new helicopter models, aircraft modifications, and configuration changes. 
•    Lead manufacturability reviews and Design for Manufacturing & Assembly (DFMA) assessments. 
•    Develop tooling strategies and process qualification plans. 
Compliance & Quality Assurance 
•    Ensure manufacturing processes meet aerospace regulatory and quality requirements including: 
o    FAA regulations 
o    AS9100 quality management systems 
o    internal quality procedures 
•    Participate in root cause analysis and corrective actions for production issues. 

Capital Equipment & Automation 
•    Identify, justify, and implement advanced manufacturing technologies, including automation, robotics, CNC machining, and digital manufacturing tools. 
•    Lead capital equipment selection, specification, and commissioning. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration 
•    Coordinate with: 
o    Design Engineering 
o    Quality Assurance 
o    Production Control 
o    Supply Chain 
o    Tooling and Maintenance 
•    Support production planning and execution to meet aircraft delivery schedules. 

Required Qualifications:

Education 
•    Bachelor’s degree in: 
o    Mechanical Engineering 
o    Aerospace Engineering 
o    Manufacturing Engineering 
o    Industrial Engineering 
o    or related engineering discipline 

Experience 
•    8+ years of manufacturing engineering experience 
•    Experience in aerospace or regulated manufacturing environments preferred 
•    Demonstrated experience supporting production operation 
Technical Skills 
•    Strong knowledge of: 
•    machining and fabrication processes 
•    mechanical assembly 
•    tooling and fixture design 
•    process validation 
•    Proficiency with: 
•    CAD systems 
•    ERP/MES manufacturing systems 
•    process documentation and control 
Manufacturing Methodologies 
•    Lean Manufacturing 
•    Six Sigma / Continuous Improvement 
•    Root Cause Analysis 
•    Process capability and statistical analysis 

Manufacturing engineers typically evaluate and improve manufacturing processes, design systems for production, and implement technical solutions to improve efficiency and quality.  

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in rotorcraft or aircraft manufacturing 

• Familiarity with FAA Part 21 / production certification environments 

• Knowledge of aerospace materials including: 

• aluminum alloys 

• titanium 

• stainless steels 

• composites 

• Experience with CNC machining, assembly lines, or automated manufacturing systems 

• Project management experience leading cross-functional engineering initiatives 

KEY COMPENTENCIES:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability 

• Leadership and mentoring ability 

• Excellent technical communication 

• Hands-on factory mindset 

• Data-driven decision making 

Salary Range:  $120,000.00-$145,000.00