Principal Manufacturing Engineer (Additive)

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, United States; onsite at the Knoxville facility. U.S. citizenship is required, and the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government-issued security clearance is required.

Company

hirify.global develops and manufactures jet propulsion systems using additive manufacturing to support unmanned aerial defense and the U.S. defense industrial base.

What you will do

• Own manufacturing process execution, capability, and production readiness for assigned processes, products, components, and manufacturing areas.
• Develop, implement, qualify, and continuously improve additive manufacturing, machining, assembly, inspection, welding, post-processing, and related advanced manufacturing processes.
• Lead NPI transfer, production-readiness, low-rate initial production, sustained production, and production ramp activities.
• Create and maintain process flow diagrams, PFMEAs, control plans, work instructions, standard work, routings, and related production documentation.
• Lead process qualification, capability studies, production validation, configuration changes, tooling and programming updates, inspection changes, and operator training.
• Provide technical support to Operations and improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, yield, scrap, rework, cycle time, takt attainment, throughput, process capability, and equipment effectiveness.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 12+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in automotive, aerospace, defense, propulsion, turbomachinery, additive manufacturing, machining, assembly, or complex mechanical systems environments.
• Strong CAD skills; Siemens NX and Teamcenter are preferred environments.
• Experience developing, implementing, qualifying, and sustaining manufacturing processes in production.
• Strong understanding of tight-tolerance machining, assembly, additive manufacturing, welding, inspection, or related advanced manufacturing methods.
• Working knowledge of GD&T and the relationship between engineering requirements, manufacturing processes, and inspection methods.
• Experience supporting products through NPI, production transition, and sustained production.
• Experience working cross-functionally with Operations, Lifecycle Manufacturing Engineering, Design Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program Management.
• Strong problem-solving, technical communication, organizational, prioritization, and multitasking skills in fast-paced development and production environments.
• U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government-issued security clearance.

Nice to have

• Experience with aerospace propulsion systems or rotating machinery.
• Experience in additive manufacturing and/or tight-tolerance machining environments.
• Experience with APQP-based manufacturing systems.
• Experience scaling processes from prototype or low-rate production into higher-rate production.
• Experience with takt-time analysis, capacity modeling, OEE, line balancing, or manufacturing constraint management.
• Experience implementing tooling, automation, mistake-proofing, or manufacturing equipment improvements.
• Experience supporting AS9100 or IATF16949 manufacturing environments.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System, Theory of Constraints, or similar production-system methodologies.
• Prior experience in a high-growth or fast-paced engineering and manufacturing organization.

Culture & Benefits

• Medical, dental, life, and short- and long-term disability coverage from day one.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match.
• Bonus eligibility and company equity.
• Equal opportunity and inclusive work environment.