Senior Manufacturing Engineer

ROBINSON HELICOPTER CO INC•Torrance, CA

3d•$120,000 - $145,000•Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in: o Mechanical Engineering o Aerospace Engineering o Manufacturing Engineering o Industrial Engineering o or related engineering discipline
8+ years of manufacturing engineering experience
Experience in aerospace or regulated manufacturing environments preferred
Demonstrated experience supporting production operation
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
Lean Manufacturing
Six Sigma / Continuous Improvement
Root Cause Analysis
Process capability and statistical analysis

Nice To Haves

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
Strong analytical and problem-solving capability
Leadership and mentoring ability
Excellent technical communication
Hands-on factory mindset
Data-driven decision making

Responsibilities

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