Lead Manufacturing Engineer, DFMA - Joining (Aerospace)

Location: Huntington Beach, California, United States. The role requires on-site work, extended hours, and weekends as needed. Applicants must be authorized to work with U.S. ITAR-controlled technology as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or through the required government authorization.

Salary: $140,000–$180,000 USD annually, plus performance incentives, equity, and benefits.

Company

hirify.global is a defense technology startup developing autonomous defense platforms and scalable manufacturing capabilities.

What you will do

• Own and maintain the Joining DFMA guide, preferred fastener and adhesive lists, joint design rules, review checklists, and DFMA sign-off criteria.
• Specify, procure, deploy, calibrate, and maintain torque tooling, including tool controllers, torque strategies, mistake-proofing, and MES data integration.
• Review vehicle architectures and material choices early, lead DFMA studies, reduce part count and assembly complexity, and drive value engineering.
• Develop adhesive-versus-fastener trade studies, should-cost models, cycle-time models, and production-rate analyses.
• Lead joining R&D through designed experiments, test coupons and articles, failure analysis, process qualification, and release to production.
• Lead direct reports and collaborate with Design Engineering, Vehicle Assembly, Prototype Factory Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Production.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Materials, or Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of hands-on fastener engineering, adhesive bonding, or joining process engineering experience taking hardware from design into production.
• Deep knowledge of bolted joint analysis, bonding science, surface preparation, cure kinetics, and failure modes.
• Experience selecting and deploying torque tooling, tool controllers, torque strategies, capability studies, calibration, and joint testing.
• Strong knowledge of cycle-time analysis, OEE, Cp/Cpk, gauge R&R, DOE, error proofing, ergonomics, ROI, GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and 3D CAD.
• U.S. ITAR work authorization or eligibility for the required export authorizations is mandatory.

Nice to have

• Master’s or PhD in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with Atlas Copco, Desoutter, Cleco, or Stanley torque platforms and MES integration.
• Experience with aerospace fastener standards, automotive high-volume joining, bonded-joint inspection, DFMA, DFMEA/PFMEA, or should-cost modeling.
• Experience establishing prototype factories, laboratories, test capabilities, or production lines in fast-moving companies.
• AS9100 or defense production experience and Lean or Six Sigma certification.

Culture & Benefits

• Startup environment focused on autonomous defense platforms, rapid manufacturing innovation, and national security.
• Performance-based incentives and equity participation.
• Healthcare, dental, vision, retirement savings, and paid time off.
• Funding for continuing education, training, and professional development.
• Transparent compensation tiers and investment in long-term career growth.