Design for Manufacturing Engineering Lead – Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Fort Worth, Texas | On-site

Opportunity Summary

Join a venture-backed aerospace team developing advanced unmanned aircraft systems built for real-world deployment at scale. The focus is not only on performance, but on designing systems that can be efficiently manufactured, replicated, and delivered in high volumes. As the DFM Engineering Lead, you will own how engineering designs translate into scalable production systems. You will work closely with design engineering from early concept stages, ensuring manufacturability is built into the product from day one. This role is central to bridging design and production, driving decisions that directly impact cost, quality, and production speed.

About Us

We are an early-stage aerospace company building next-generation unmanned systems for government and commercial applications. The team is focused on developing aircraft that are both high-performing and designed for scalable manufacturing. With a strong emphasis on production readiness and system reliability, the company is moving quickly from development into repeatable production environments.

Job Duties

• Serve as the technical lead for design-for-manufacture across airframe, structures, and integrated systems
• Partner with design engineering early to ensure manufacturability, cost, and scalability are built into the architecture
• Translate engineering designs into efficient, repeatable production processes and assembly flows
• Develop and maintain work instructions, build sequences, and tooling concepts for aircraft production
• Own validation of CNC tool paths, composite tooling approaches, and manufacturing methods
• Ensure digital design definitions align with manufacturable parts and assemblies with minimal iteration
• Establish production engineering standards, configuration control, and process documentation
• Support transition from prototype through low-rate production into full-rate manufacturing
• Identify and eliminate bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and rework drivers across production
• Drive continuous improvement efforts focused on yield, throughput, and cost reduction
• Work cross-functionally with supply chain, quality, and manufacturing teams to align design intent with execution
• Feed production insights back into design to improve manufacturability and system performance
• Develop scalable, transferable manufacturing systems that can be replicated across production environments

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in aerospace, manufacturing engineering, or production engineering
• Strong experience applying design-for-manufacture principles in complex hardware systems
• Demonstrated experience supporting hardware from early development through production
• Background in CNC machining, composite manufacturing, or similar production processes
• Strong understanding of tooling, tolerancing, and assembly methods
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field
• Ability to work on-site in a production environment
• Willingness to travel as needed

Preferred Experience

• Experience working on unmanned or autonomous aircraft systems
• Background in scalable or high-rate manufacturing environments
• Familiarity with configuration control and production documentation systems
• Experience validating tooling, fixtures, and manufacturing processes
• Exposure to design-to-cost and production ramp strategies

Why Join Us

• Direct ownership of how aircraft designs scale into real production systems
• Opportunity to influence product architecture through a manufacturability lens
• High-impact role at the intersection of engineering and production
• Early-stage environment with meaningful technical ownership
• Work alongside a highly technical, execution-focused team

Compensation Details

Salary range: $150,000 - $190,000

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