Manufacturing Development Engineer

Your Job

As a Manufacturing Engineer, you will play a key role in bringing new aerospace and defense connector systems from design to production. You will collaborate closely with the product development team members to evaluate designs for manufacturability, define efficient manufacturing processes, and ensure a smooth transition from prototype to full-rate production. Your expertise will be essential in applying the latest manufacturing methods, improving product quality, and reducing cost and lead time.

Our Team

You will be part of a dynamic engineering division focused on launching next-generation interconnect products for aerospace and defense applications. Our team blends cross-functional expertise in design, manufacturing, and quality assurance to deliver industry-leading solutions that meet customer needs.

What You Will Do

• Evaluate new designs for manufacturability, assembly efficiency, and cost-effectiveness throughout the development cycle.
• Partner with design engineers to influence product architecture and optimize for DFM, DFA, and DFT principles.
• Define and develop manufacturing processes, work instructions, and tooling to support prototype builds and production scale-up.
• Evaluate and implement new manufacturing technologies and automation opportunities to improve quality, repeatability, and throughput.
• Develop Statements of Work for capital equipment and manage on-site vendor assessments.
• Create manufacturing documentation including process flow diagrams, work instructions, control plans, and routers.
• Lead and facilitate Process Failure Mode and Effects Analyses (PFMEA) to identify and mitigate manufacturing risks.
• Support prototype builds, collect feedback, and drive design and process improvements before release to production.
• Collaborate with production, quality, and supply chain teams during product launch and handoff to ensure readiness and smooth transition.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 2 to 5 years of experience in manufacturing or process engineering, preferably in high-reliability or precision industries such as aerospace, defense, or electronics.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes such as machining, molding, stamping, plating, assembly, and automation.
• Experience with process documentation, work instructions, and manufacturing standards.
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to work effectively under normal supervision.
• Strong communication and organizational skills with the ability to work cross-functionally with engineering, quality, and operations teams.

What Will Put You Ahead (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience supporting new product introduction (NPI) or production launch for complex electromechanical assemblies.
• Hands-on experience with automation, fixture design, and manufacturing equipment integration.
• Experience developing cable-assembly or connector manufacturing processes.
• Proficiency with CAD and PLM systems for reviewing designs and developing tooling concepts.
• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma principles.
• Familiarity with PFMEA, control plans, and process validation techniques.
• Proven ability to manage projects in a fast-paced development environment
• Understanding of aerospace and defense quality systems and standards (AS9100, MIL-STD, IPC, etc.).

At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.

Hiring Philosophy

All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here .

Who We Are

As a leader in aerospace and defense electronics, AirBorn, a Molex company, is a leader committed to engineering and manufacturing excellence.

With a legacy of over six decades, we take pride in our team of passionate and skilled professionals who play a pivotal role in developing and manufacturing mission-critical products. Our cutting-edge solutions are not only found on Mars, in fighter jets, submarines, and in the far reaches of space. We understand the mission critical environments in which our products operate, and our commitment to excellence drives us to ensure their unwavering reliability. Whether you are a seasoned industry expert or have fresh talent seeking to soar in your career, we invite you to embark on a journey of creativity, growth, and achievement with us.

Discover how your talents can take flight and make an impactful contribution to our mission-critical endeavors at AirBorn

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Our Benefits

Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.

Equal Opportunities

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information. (For Illinois E-Verify information click here , aquí , or tu ).