Manufacturing Engineer

Actalent is hiring a Manufacturing Engineer for a fully onsite role in Phoenix, AZ supporting an aerospace sheet metal forming contract manufacturing facility. This position focuses on building efficient, cost-effective manufacturing processes for complex formed components in an AS9100-regulated environment. You will translate engineering designs and customer requirements into practical production methods, tooling, and process plans, while driving continuous improvement and supporting new product introductions.

What you’ll get

• Salary range: USD 90,000 - 115,000 per year
• Bonus program: up to 6% based on company results (up to 50% achieved in recent years)
• 401(k) match: up to 6%
• Health coverage: Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Life insurance

Responsibilities

In this role, you will support manufacturing execution and improvement for aerospace sheet metal components, including tooling and process planning work that ensures shop operations meet technical and quality requirements.

• Conduct R&D projects tied to new products and services, with emphasis on aerospace sheet metal manufacturing.
• Contribute to and follow new product development project plans to keep tasks on schedule and aligned with technical and quality requirements.
• Create shop operation sketches, instruction sheets, bills of materials, tool orders, and other process documentation to define cost-effective integrated fabrication and inspection methods.
• Review customer documentation and specifications to ensure manufacturing plans, routings, and process instructions reflect customer requirements.
• Design and develop complete tooling and fixturing drawings using CAD, and create work orders and plans for tooling fabrication in-house or with outside suppliers.
• Serve as an engineering liaison with customers by maintaining knowledge of customer quality requirements and communicating on technical issues and inquiries.
• Resolve shop floor implementation and process problems and respond quickly to manufacturing-related liaison requests.
• Provide technical assistance to shop and inspection personnel, perform MRB (Material Review Board) dispositions, and investigate quality and process problems.
• Monitor manufacturing cell metrics including gross margin, scrap, rework, 5S, and other continuous improvement indicators, and propose actionable improvement plans.
• Conduct special studies to establish standard hours, cost data, and other metrics supporting cost reduction and productivity improvements.
• Consult with clients, vendors, and stakeholders to estimate, clarify requirements, and resolve technical or process issues.
• Create and maintain process layouts and routings, ensuring accurate and efficient workflow definitions for 3-7 years of experience in this area.
• Apply GD&T principles daily to ensure accurate interpretation and communication of dimensional and tolerance requirements on drawings and process documents.
• Use lean tools such as Six Sigma and value stream mapping (VSM) to identify and implement process improvements across manufacturing cells.
• Support multi-axis programming activities where applicable (for example, laser cutting or other CNC processes).
• Perform other related duties as assigned to support production, engineering, and continuous improvement objectives.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Engineering
• Or at least 7 years of related experience, or a combination of education and experience in a manufacturing environment focused on exotic sheet metal, preferably aerospace
• Minimum experience: 3 years of manufacturing engineering, tooling design, and manufacturing process development for metal forming and aerospace sheet metal components (candidates without a degree may require 10-15 years of relevant experience)
• Experience with sheet metal fabrication methods such as hydroforming, heat treat, brazing, laser cutting, brake forming, welding (TIG and resistance), and NDT (in some roles, at least 7 years with these methods is required)
• Experience using metals such as aluminum, nickel alloys, stainless steels, and titanium (with at least 7 years in certain positions)
• Strong CAD modeling experience for tools and fixtures for sheet metal forming (candidates should have at least 7 years of CAD experience and be able to rate CAD ability at 7/10 or higher)
• Ability to design tooling for sheet metal forming using CAD (minimum 3 years with a BS, or 7 years without a degree)
• Daily, practical command of GD&T, demonstrated through consistent use in recent work experience
• Experience creating process layouts and routings (typically 3-7 years of hands-on work defining and documenting manufacturing processes)
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Project
• Familiarity with ERP systems for bills of materials, routings, work orders, and related production data
• Understanding and practical use of Six Sigma and VSM (with at least 7 years in some roles)
• Ability to read and interpret technical journals, financial reports, legal documents, and customer specifications
• Ability to respond professionally to inquiries or complaints from customers and regulatory agencies
• Ability to present information verbally and in writing to supervisors and upper management
• Strong mathematical skills used for manufacturing and process engineering problems
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw conclusions, and interpret complex technical instructions while managing abstract and concrete variables

Technologies you may use

CAD software, GD&T, Six Sigma, VSM, ERP systems, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Project, SolidWorks, NX, Mastercam

Job details

• Job type: Permanent
• Workplace type: Fully onsite in Phoenix, AZ
• Application deadline: anticipated to close on Oct 5, 2026