This listing pays about $165,000 a year. Across 103 open senior manufacturing engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $147,500 to $170,000 and the median is $161,000. That is inside the middle half of those listings, 2% above the median.

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AI use among industrial engineers is little observed so far. Measured exposure for industrial engineers: 4% (little observed).

Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.

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About the job

Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming, as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results.

The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars, and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic.

The Opportunity:

Swarm Aero is looking for a highly motivated and experienced Senior Manufacturing Engineer to join our dedicated team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for building production lines from the ground up, implementing novel high-rate manufacturing processes, and producing advanced autonomous aircraft.

What You’ll Do:

- Work hand-in-hand with designers to develop advanced aircraft for production and implement design for manufacturing (DFM) concepts.

- Set up manufacturing facilities from the ground up, including procurement of heavy equipment from vendors around the world and designing of custom tooling.

- Develop and implement advanced manufacturing processes for composite and metallic aircraft components.

- Develop and maintain manufacturing documentation, including work instructions, process flows, and tooling designs.

- Conduct feasibility studies and production readiness reviews for new designs.

- Own the production of prototypes and support the transition to full-scale manufacturing.

What You’ve Done:

- Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field. An advanced degree is preferred.

- 7+ years of experience in a manufacturing engineering role, preferably in the aerospace or defense industry.

- Gained extensive experience with composite and metallic manufacturing processes.

- Demonstrated proficiency with manufacturing software tools and CAD systems, such as Siemens NX, Fibersim, Warpdrive, NetSuite, ION, Manufacturo, or similar tools.

- Acquired a solid understanding of quality control principles and practices.

What Sets You Apart:

- You like to build and break things.

- You ask for forgiveness instead of for permission.

- Proven track record of success in new product development and manufacturing.

- Experience working in fast-paced, small team environments.

- Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.

- Strong leadership and project management abilities.

ITAR requirement

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Swarm Aero is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse backgrounds and experiences and make employment decisions without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability.

What We Offer

- Meaningful equity in a high-growth defense technology company

- Competitive base salary commensurate with experience

- Medical, dental, vision, and 401k

- PTO and paid sick leave

- Monthly wellness stipend

- Daily catered lunch (office)

- Paid parental leave

- Direct impact on a critical national security mission

- A world-class team of engineers and operators solving genuinely hard problems