Manufacturing Engineer

About Poseidon Aerospace:

Poseidon Aerospace builds and operates unmanned planes for commercial logistics and defense missions. Our two full-size fixed-wing platforms - Heron, a seaplane, and Egret, a STOL aircraft - can carry two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. We are headquartered in San Francisco with satellite offices in Washington, DC and Maine.

As a Manufacturing Engineer at Poseidon Aerospace, you will design and machine the tooling that brings our composite aircraft to life. You'll own the complete process from CAD design through CAM programming to running parts on our mills and routers, delivering functional jigs and fixtures on startup timelines. We need someone who thinks with their hands and can rapidly translate design requirements into precision tooling.

Responsibilities:

• Design and deliver tooling, jigs, and fixtures for aircraft assembly and fabrication processes

• Program and machine custom tooling components using CAM software and CNC equipment

• Rapidly prototype manufacturing solutions to support evolving aircraft designs and assembly sequences

• Conduct first article inspections and dimensional validation of tooling to ensure design intent is met

• Collaborate with design engineers to provide DFM feedback and influence part designs for improved manufacturability

• Develop and document assembly procedures, work instructions, and tooling usage guidelines

• Troubleshoot and iterate on tooling designs based on real-world assembly feedback from the production floor

• Maintain and improve existing tooling as aircraft designs evolve through development cycles

Ideal Qualifications:

• Proficiency in CAD software (Fusion, SolidWorks, CATIA, NX, or similar) for designing tooling, fixtures, and jigs

• Hands-on CAM programming experience and ability to machine own parts on vertical mills and multi-axis CNC equipment

• Strong understanding of GD&T and ability to apply proper tolerancing to tooling designs

• Knowledge of composite materials and their unique tooling requirements (layup surfaces, cure tooling, trim fixtures)

• Experience with metrology equipment (calipers, micrometers, height gauges) and inspection techniques

• Understanding of design for manufacturing principles and common composite manufacturing processes (layup, bonding, trimming, drilling)

• Self-directed problem solver comfortable working independently while supporting a small, fast-moving team

• Ability to balance speed with precision—knowing when "good enough" is appropriate versus when tight tolerances are critical

Nice to have:

• Experience with Fusion 360 for integrated CAD/CAM workflow

• Hands-on experience with Haas vertical mills

• Gantry-style CNC router programming and operation

• Multi-axis (4th/5th axis) CAM programming experience

• Hands-on composite layup or composite trimming experience

• Welding experience for fixture fabrication

• Experience with FDM for rapid tooling prototypes

Even if you don't meet every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply. At Poseidon Aerospace, we value diverse perspectives and are always looking for talented individuals with unconventional backgrounds.