Senior Product Engineer (Drones)

TL;DR

Senior Product Engineer (Drones): Own product definition and transition unmanned drone platforms from engineering design to repeatable high-quality manufacturing with an accent on design for manufacturability, product release, and cross-functional collaboration. Focus on reviewing designs for manufacturing compatibility, leading first article builds, resolving production issues, and driving continuous improvements in quality and cost.

Location: Torrance, CA (onsite, requires U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence due to ITAR/EAR restrictions, no sponsorship)

Salary: $132k - $180k

Company

FlightWave, a subsidiary of hirify.global, develops unmanned drone platforms for aerospace and defense applications.

What you will do

• Partner with Design Engineering to ensure manufacturable designs, providing DFM expertise across drone platforms including composite layup, 3D printing, injection molding, PCB assembly, and electromechanical integration
• Review and approve designs, conduct reviews, and drive improvements to reduce cost and enhance manufacturability
• Define products in SolidWorks and Arena PLM, manage ECOs, BOMs, drawings, and ensure documentation accuracy
• Lead first article builds, resolve prototyping and production issues, develop assembly processes and tooling
• Collaborate across Design, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality to optimize processes and address issues
• Drive continuous improvement, root cause analysis, standardization, and best practices

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing Engineering or related
• 7+ years in product or manufacturing engineering, preferably aerospace/defense electromechanical products
• Proven experience transitioning complex products from design to production
• Proficiency in SolidWorks for 3D modeling, drawings, assemblies
• Experience with Arena PLM or similar
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, GD&T, tolerance analysis, design for assembly
• Familiarity with aerospace quality standards
• Ability to lift 50lbs, stand for long periods, work in various environments

Nice to have

• Experience with UAS/drone technology
• Knowledge of AS9100, FAA regulations, NPI processes
• Six Sigma or Lean Manufacturing certification

Culture & Benefits

• Generous annual equity package and potential bonuses
• EEO employer
• Background check required
• E-Verify participation for work eligibility