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Composites Manufacturing Engineer III

Huntington Beach, California

Karman Space & Defense is a leader in the rapid design, development, and production of critical, next-generation system solutions that align with the U.S. Department of War and its allies’ core mission priorities, and meet the accelerating demand for access to space. Building on nearly 50 years of success, we deliver Payload & Protection Systems, Aero/Hydrodynamic Interstage Systems, and Propulsion & Launch Systems to more than 80 prime contractors supporting over 130 space and defense programs.

This role supports our Defense Systems business, bringing together Hypersonics, Strategic Missile Defense, Tactical Missiles, and Integrated Defense Systems. Modern defense missions demand more than piecemeal parts or patchwork products; they require hardware that seamlessly integrates disparate technologies into a unified system. Backed by decades of flight-proven performance, our teams deliver tailored mission-ready solutions across air, land, and sea, including: launch and deployment systems, propulsion, payload protection, integration and deployment.

In this role, you will lead complex composites manufacturing engineering efforts that support the design, producibility analysis, and production of advanced aerospace components. You will drive conceptual design, tooling development, manufacturing documentation, and problem-solving to ensure composite products meet customer requirements while collaborating closely with a multidisciplinary team across engineering, production, and customer-facing activities.

Schedule

  • The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Responsibilities

  • Oversees daily progress of assigned projects to ensure technical objectives and customer requirements are met.
  • Reviews customer drawings and specifications to evaluate producibility, cost implications, and opportunities for co‑engineering solutions.
  • Formulates conceptual designs for composite aerospace products and systems to meet customer requirements.
  • Develops fabrication and process control documentation for composite products.
  • Designs and reviews tooling necessary to achieve production rate, quality, and technical requirements.
  • Serves as a subject matter expert (SME) and technical interface with customers for program updates, reviews, and issue resolution.
  • Assists with root cause analysis and development of corrective actions.
  • Conducts peer reviews of manufacturing documentation and tooling designs.
  • Develops detailed proposals in response to customer requests for quotes (RFQs) and requests for information (RFIs).

Required Qualifications

  • At least 5 years of experience in aerospace manufacturing or composite design.
  • Experience with aerospace composite manufacturing methodologies; autoclave or press molding experience is a plus.
  • Knowledge of mid‑size corporate internal processes and systems.
  • Expertise in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) and blueprint reading.
  • Proficiency in modeling and drafting.
  • Experience designing molds, assembly fixtures, machining fixtures, or other tooling for composite processing.
  • Ability to read and interpret engineering specifications, including drawings, material specifications, and processing specifications.
  • Some experience in design‑for‑manufacturing and assembly methodology for small programs and higher‑rate production.
  • Knowledge of composite part and assembly development for military and/or commercial systems.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities across simultaneous projects.
  • Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
  • Customer support experience in a one‑on‑one environment.
  • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
  • Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, including root cause analysis and risk assessment.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Desire to innovate with a hands‑on engineering mindset focused on design and fabrication of advanced composite hardware.
  • Ability to think creatively and propose non‑traditional solutions.

This position requires U.S. person status under U.S. export control laws, including U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) with company match
  • Paid time off
  • Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contribution
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
  • Company‑paid life and AD&D insurance
  • Short‑ and long‑term disability coverage
  • Tuition reimbursement

Salary Range

$105,000 - $135,000 USD

Karman Space and Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

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