Process Engineer, Elastomeric Manufacturing (Aerospace)

Location: Brea, CA (On-site, Monday–Friday)

Type: Full-time, Direct Hire

Compensation: Competitive salary depending on experience

Company Snapshot

Join a century-strong aerospace and defense manufacturer renowned for precision elastomer and polymer solutions. Our components are on commercial, military, and business jets around the globe—and aboard missiles, launch vehicles, and satellites—with sole-source content on flagship Boeing, Airbus, and F‑35 programs. Backed by a major international aerospace group, you’ll experience the security of a large enterprise and the satisfaction of hands-on impact in a focused production environment.

A Day in This Role

Your morning starts on the production floor, scanning overnight yields and responding to any molding or extrusion variances. By mid-day, you’re iterating a new compression mold design, updating fixturing for better ergonomics, and partnering with Quality on an RCCA to eliminate a recurring defect. Afternoon brings a DOE on a silicone process, followed by refining work instructions so tomorrow’s shift sees higher first-pass yield. Throughout, you’re the go-to problem solver for elastomer manufacturing—turning shop-floor issues into lasting improvements.

What You Will Tackle

• Own daily production support for rubber/elastomer parts; resolve process, tooling, and quality issues at the source
• Design and upgrade tooling, molds, fixtures, and workholding to elevate precision and throughput
• Lead root cause and corrective action (RCCA) activities to close out production and quality escapes
• Plan and execute lean/CI projects aimed at reducing scrap, cycle time, and overall cost
• Provide technical oversight for compression molding, extrusion, and composite/plastics operations
• Create, release, and maintain robust work instructions, process documentation, and manufacturing aids
• Collaborate closely with Production, Quality, Tooling, and Operations leadership to meet delivery and quality goals
• Support NPI from trial runs through full-rate production, ensuring processes are capable and documented

What You Bring

• B.S. in Mechanical, Chemical, Materials, or Manufacturing Engineering—or equivalent hands-on experience
• 3+ years in manufacturing or process engineering
• Direct, hands-on background in rubber/elastomer manufacturing (required)
• Experience with composites, plastics, compression molding and/or extrusion (strongly preferred)
• Demonstrated skill in troubleshooting, tooling design, and continuous improvement
• Structured problem-solving using RCCA, 8D, or similar methodologies
• Capacity to juggle multiple projects in a fast-moving production setting
• Aerospace, defense, or AS9100 exposure is a plus
• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (ITAR)

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Ownership of processes with clear, measurable impact on production outcomes
• Stability within a growing aerospace manufacturer
• Clear runway to advance into senior engineering roles

Core Technical Proficiency

• GD&T
• Equipment Troubleshooting
• Troubleshooting Skills
• Design for Manufacturability (DFM)
• Aerospace Manufacturing
• Fluorosilicone / EPDM / Neoprene
• Polymer & Composite Materials
• Rubber / Elastomer Manufacturing
• Rubber Compounding & Mixing
• Silicone Processing
• Prepreg / Composite Layup & Cure

Machines & Technologies You’ll Use

• Compression Molding Press