📍 Location: The Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, CA (Onsite) If you’re interested in learning more about this opportunity or beginning the interview process, feel free to connect directly via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ra... Industrial Engineer – Effectors An advanced aerospace and defense technology company is seeking an Industrial Engineer to help architect and scale next-generation production systems for high-volume autonomous and interceptor platforms. This role is focused on factory design, production system architecture, capacity planning, and manufacturing scale-up. The ideal candidate has experience building production systems from the ground up and understands how to optimize manufacturing operations for throughput, cost, quality, and scalability. This is a highly hands-on and high-ownership role where you’ll help shape manufacturing strategy from early prototype builds through sustained high-rate production. Responsibilities Factory & Production System Design • Design scalable factory layouts optimized for flow, throughput, takt time, and operational efficiency • Develop production cell concepts for manual, semi-automated, and automated assembly environments • Build value stream maps and future-state production workflows • Define workstation layouts, labor allocation models, and material flow strategies • Design inventory flow concepts including kitting, supermarkets, and point-of-use systems • Support production facility build-outs, line expansion planning, and manufacturing infrastructure development Capacity Planning & Rate Scaling • Build detailed production rate and throughput models tied to manufacturing demand forecasts • Analyze: • Takt time • Cycle time • Throughput • Bottlenecks • Labor efficiency • Capacity constraints • Develop scaling strategies for pilot production, low-rate builds, and future high-volume manufacturing • Create multi-scenario production plans supporting rate ramps and supplier scaling • Identify manufacturing readiness risks and mitigation strategies Production Optimization & Continuous Improvement • Implement lean manufacturing principles across production workflows • Drive line balancing, waste reduction, and flow optimization initiatives • Conduct time studies and labor productivity analysis • Support OEE tracking and production performance measurement systems • Analyze yield, throughput, cycle time, and rework metrics to improve operational efficiency • Help develop standardized work instructions and scalable manufacturing processes Cross-Functional Manufacturing Support • Partner closely with manufacturing engineering, supply chain, facilities, quality, and operations teams • Participate in design-for-producibility reviews and manufacturing trade studies • Support make-versus-buy decisions and contract manufacturing evaluations • Assist with supplier industrialization and manufacturing readiness assessments • Provide hands-on support during prototype builds, production ramp events, and early manufacturing operations Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical discipline • 5+ years of experience in factory design, production system optimization, manufacturing scale-up, or industrial engineering • Experience building or supporting high-rate manufacturing environments • Strong understanding of: • Lean manufacturing • Capacity planning • Value stream mapping • Takt time and cycle time analysis • OEE measurement • Line balancing • Throughput optimization • Experience supporting production ramp or greenfield manufacturing build-outs • Experience developing production rate models using Excel, Python, VBA, simulation tools, or similar platforms • Comfortable working in fast-paced startup or development-stage manufacturing environments • U.S. citizenship required; ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance required Preferred Experience • Aerospace, defense, automotive, robotics, semiconductor, or other high-volume manufacturing industries • Production systems supporting complex electromechanical hardware • Factory simulation or digital manufacturing tools such as: • FlexSim • AnyLogic • Arena • Simulink • ERP, MES, or PLM integration experience • High-rate automated assembly or robotics manufacturing • Experience scaling manufacturing operations from prototype through production • Startup or greenfield factory build-out experience • Contract manufacturing and supplier industrialization exposure What Makes This Opportunity Unique This role offers the opportunity to help build a manufacturing operation from the ground up inside a rapidly growing aerospace and defense environment. The team is looking for engineers who understand not only how to optimize existing factories, but how to architect scalable production systems from scratch — balancing cost, throughput, automation, and manufacturability for future high-rate production. You’ll work closely with both engineering and operations leadership while helping define the long-term production strategy for next-generation hardware platforms. Additional Information • Competitive compensation and equity package • Comprehensive healthcare coverage • 401(k) matching • PTO flexibility • Relocation assistance may be available • Full-time onsite collaboration environment • U.S. citizenship required due to security and export control requirements 📍 Location: The Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, CA (Onsite) To learn more or express interest, connect directly via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ra...