Vehicle Manufacturing Engineer II, Primary Structures

About the Team: 

The Manufacturing team owns all process development, fabrication strategy, and production equipment for Terran R, our next generation, reusable rocket. This team has a wide variety of responsibilities – from factory floor layout, to developing complex tooling for novel processes, and interfacing with our vehicle engineering team to heavily influence design of the rocket. We leverage our deep expertise to translate engineering requirements into highly optimized production lines, working cross functionally to consistently enhance the vehicle program.

About the Role:

• Own a major primary structure assembly station for Terran R, as well as all associated flight parts and assembly processes, defining operational strategies and working to build upon existing methods
• Support the shop floor through live issue resolution and provide upstream feedback as we innovate the next generation of manufacturing technology
• Generate high quality work instructions, specifications, and best practices across multiple high-fidelity processes. Standardize processes where possible, and partner with production team to reduce takt time and increase throughput rates. Analyze and disposition manufacturing non-conformances and lead multi-disciplinary teams on root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Generate build orders and schedules, and come up with creative ways to stay on track
• Support conceptual and detailed design of major tooling assemblies alongside tooling engineering. Support procurement, commissioning, and initial trial builds, ensuring tooling is delivered on time and with the right capabilities
• Provide Design for Manufacturing feedback to structures teams during the development phase and through the first prototype and flight builds.  

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, manufacturing, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline with 3+ years of related experience
• Proficient with CAD software such as NX, and solid understanding of GD&T
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interface with cross-functional teams, including explaining complex topics to non-technical audiences
• A self-starter who is extremely detailed oriented and organized, proven ability to manage large scope in a fast-paced environment. Experienced in bring-up and support of manufacturing work centers.
• Excellent knowledge of vehicle structures, manufacturing and assembly processes, and mechanical components
• Demonstrated mastery of using first principles to perform trade studies and reason through complex problems, able to make informed decisions using engineering fundamentals

Nice to haves but not required:  

• Experience with new process introduction in a manufacturing environment and/or building first article assemblies, especially in a startup environment
• Experience authoring work instructions to build structural assemblies
• Demonstrated success with improving takt time in a production process, and/or transitioning products from prototype to mass production
• Working level knowledge of at least 2 of the following:
  • Welding (fusion or friction stir welding), machining, precision drilling, mechanical fastening and torquing, tool design and fabrication, NDT, subassembly build, etc.