Manufacturing Engineer – Precision Aerospace Products

Westbrook, CT | Onsite

Target Base Salary: $80,000–$90,000, depending on experience

Plus generous bonus and an unusually strong benefits package

I’m recruiting a Manufacturing Engineer for a highly respected precision manufacturer in Westbrook, CT.

This could be an excellent opportunity for an early-career engineer who is mechanically inclined, likes manufacturing, and wants to build a real foundation in Manufacturing Engineering.

The product group is growing rapidly, with approximately 50% growth anticipated next year, creating plenty of engineering work around process development, tooling, documentation, manufacturing improvement and production expansion. The products are highly engineered precision components used in demanding aerospace and space applications.

What You'll Be Walking Into

This isn't a desk-only engineering position.

You'll be working alongside experienced Manufacturing Engineers supporting highly precise mechanical manufacturing and assembly processes. Some of these processes are unusual and highly specialized, so nobody expects you to walk in already knowing everything.

They do expect you to have some practical mechanical instincts.

You should be comfortable walking onto a manufacturing floor, looking at a process or piece of equipment, asking questions, taking measurements and figuring out how things work.

You'll gain experience with:

• Manufacturing process development and improvement
• Production documentation and process instructions
• Time studies and manufacturing analysis
• Tooling and fixture development
• Troubleshooting manufacturing problems
• Precision mechanical assembly processes
• New product and process introduction
• Manufacturing equipment and some automation
• Engineering drawings and CAD
• Quality and process improvement
• Working with Manufacturing, Product Engineering, Quality, Tooling and Automation

Early in your career, some of the work will involve the fundamentals—documentation, data collection, time studies and supporting more experienced engineers. That's intentional. You'll be learning the manufacturing processes while gradually taking ownership of larger engineering problems and projects.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology, or a similar engineering discipline
• Strong mechanical aptitude and genuine interest in manufacturing
• Some practical exposure to a manufacturing or hands-on technical environment
• Ability to read engineering drawings and understand basic mechanical components and tolerances
• Familiarity with CAD; SolidWorks is preferred
• Comfortable using basic measurement tools such as calipers and micrometers
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Self-motivated and willing to take ownership of assignments
• Someone who likes to understand how things actually work, not just how they're supposed to work on paper

Recent graduates will be considered. A strong internship or co-op that gave you meaningful exposure to a manufacturing floor can absolutely count as experience.

The Kind of Experience That Gets Our Attention

You don't need all of these.

Any hands-on experience that shows you've actually built, measured, designed, repaired, improved or figured something out is valuable:

• Manufacturing internships or co-ops
• Machining or fabrication
• Tooling and fixtures
• Mechanical design
• Robotics or automation
• FIRST Robotics, Formula SAE or similar engineering projects
• 3D printing and prototyping
• Automotive or equipment experience
• Precision measurement
• Process improvement or time studies
• New Product Introduction
• Mechanical or electromechanical assembly

The common denominator is mechanical curiosity and a willingness to get your hands involved.

Why Consider It?

This is the part I think matters most for someone early in their career.

You're not just choosing your next engineering job. You're choosing where you're going to learn how to be an engineer.

This is an engineering-driven manufacturing organization with experienced Manufacturing Engineers and dedicated internal resources in tooling, product engineering and automation. You'll have the opportunity to learn from people who have spent their careers solving difficult manufacturing problems while gradually taking on more responsibility yourself.

The organization is growing rapidly, the products support aerospace and space applications, and there is a long runway for an engineer who performs.

If you're early in your career and want to become the kind of Manufacturing Engineer who can walk onto a production floor, understand what's happening and actually solve problems, this is a very good place to learn how to do it.