Manufacturing Engineer III

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.

In this role, you help drive manufacturability and process robustness across the full product lifecycle. You partner closely with product design teams to ensure producibility, develop and validate critical processes, create advanced tooling, and lead workflow and production line planning. You also support continuous improvement activities, solve complex manufacturing challenges, and mentor junior engineers while representing manufacturing engineering across multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Supports product design teams by driving design for manufacturability and influencing early development decisions.
• Mentors junior manufacturing engineers to strengthen team capability and skill development.
• Establishes, monitors, and validates production processes and controls as a process owner or subject matter expert.
• Designs, develops, and implements complex fixtures, tools, and inspection gages for fabrication and assembly.
• Coordinates material and resource planning with product teams to support schedule adherence.
• Leads manufacturing workflow planning and production line setup to optimize operational efficiency.
• Solves complex technical problems using engineering references, data, and inspection tools.
• Collaborates with engineers across disciplines to represent manufacturing requirements and ensure cohesive technical execution.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or an equivalent field.
• Minimum 4 years of relevant industry experience.
• Strong mechanical aptitude with hands‑on engineering experience in a fabrication and assembly environment.
• Ability to read and generate blueprints, drawings, and technical diagrams.
• Familiarity with basic material properties and in‑process verification and validation.
• Proficiency in geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).

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

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, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law