Design for Manufacturing Engineering Lead

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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