Associate Manufacturing Engineer
Date: Feb 27, 2026
Location: Garden Grove, CA, US
Company: GKN Aerospace Careers
Job Summary
We are seeking an Associate Manufacturing Engineer to join our Sustainment Manufacturing Engineering Team. This early-career role provides hands-on experience supporting the development, improvement, and control of aerospace manufacturing processes—particularly those involving lamination, metal deposition, coatings, and acrylic-based applications. This is a great opportunity for engineers looking to grow in a fast-paced, highly regulated aerospace environment.
Job Responsibilities
Process Development & Optimization
- Support the team with APQP and AS9145 activities.
- Assist in preparing and updating PFMEAs, control plans, and process flow diagrams.
- Help compile First Article Inspection Reports (FAIR) for AS9102 compliance.
- Follow strict clean room protocols where applicable.
- Perform basic SPC data collection and monitoring.
Specialized Process Support
- Assist senior engineers with troubleshooting and process maintenance for lamination processes.
- Support activities involving metal deposition methods such as vacuum metalizing, thermal spray, plating, or additive manufacturing.
- Assist with functional or protective coating processes.
- Support acrylic bonding, forming, or finishing operations.
Technical & Quality Support
- Interpret engineering drawings with guidance from senior engineers.
- Support simple tooling updates and CAD modeling (Siemens NX preferred).
- Assist in creating and maintaining work instructions and controlled documents.
- Participate in MRB/PRB investigations and help gather data for nonconformance resolution.
- Support internal/external audits and layered process audits.
- Ensure compliance with AS9100, ISO9001, and site quality procedures.
Continuous Improvement & Collaboration
- Contribute to Lean and shop-floor improvement initiatives.
- Participate in root cause analysis activities such as 8D, 5-Whys, and Fishbone.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support ongoing projects.
- Assist in preparing technical summaries, reports, and presentations.
Job Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Aerospace, Chemical, or related engineering field; will consider 8 years of relevant experience in lieu of a degree.
- 1–3 years of experience in a manufacturing or engineering environment.
- Exposure to lamination, coatings, metal deposition, or acrylic-based processes.
- Basic understanding of APQP, PFMEA, SPC, or FAIR documentation.
- Familiarity with ISO9000 or AS9100 quality systems is a plus.
- Strong communication skills in English, both written and verbal.
- Must be a U.S. Person per ITAR regulations.
- Willingness to travel occasionally (<5%).
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with CAD tools; Siemens NX preferred.
- Exposure to clean room work or MSA techniques.
- Understanding of Design for Manufacturability principles.
- Participation in Lean or Six Sigma projects.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical team members.
Compensation Data
Compensation Range: $83,535.00 - $104,419.00
Nearest Major Market: Orange County
Nearest Secondary Market: Los Angeles