Production Support Engineer

About the role

We are seeking a highly skilled Production Support Engineer to join our team. This role supports mechanical design improvements, develops fixtures and tooling, and ensures mechanical integrity, alignment stability, and environmental robustness of hardware across development and production phases.

Responsibilities

• Supports mechanical design improvements and develops fixtures and tooling to improve repeatability and robustness of production hardware.
• Works with the Systems Engineering team to make sure all testing requirements are met for prototype and production products.
• Serves as the primary operator and driver of shaker table testing, executing sine, random vibration, and shock profiles in accordance with MIL-STD-810 or customer-specific requirements.
• Develops vibration test setups and mounting strategies that accurately replicate field boundary conditions.
• Collects, analyzes, and documents vibration and shock test data to evaluate mechanical stability, fastener retention, optical alignment integrity, and structural performance.
• Assists with scheduling Manufacturing Orders.
• Exports, processes, and analyzes data from ERP software tools.
• Creates, documents, and refines standardized work procedures for all assembly processes to ensure consistency and efficiency.
• Develops and refines mechanical assembly procedures related to torque, staking, bonding, and retention features to ensure hardware reliability.
• Participates in assembly operations to gain familiarity with the production process.
• Provides hands-on production support, troubleshooting mechanical issues on the manufacturing floor and working directly with technicians to resolve hardware concerns.
• Leads mechanical root cause investigations for hardware non-conformances, including loose components, alignment shifts, vibration-induced failures, or retention issues, working cross-functionally with the MRB team (Quality, Production, Program Management).
• Ensures mechanical designs and assemblies meet environmental, structural, and durability requirements in production hardware.
• Works cross-functionally with design, engineering, and quality teams to address production challenges and drive continuous improvement.
• Ensures compliance with safety regulations and promotes a culture of workplace safety.
• Provides feedback to design engineering on mechanical robustness and manufacturability improvements based on test results and production experience.
• Analyzes current production processes and implements strategies for continual process improvement, reducing waste and increasing efficiency using methodologies such as Lean tools and Six Sigma.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, or a related field and 4+ years of experience in a production, manufacturing, or process engineering role.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, lean manufacturing principles, and process improvement methodologies.
• Ability to create and document work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and training materials.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Proficient use of standard MS Office software (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) including ability to organize and efficiently process data in Excel.
• Occasional lifting of hardware as required.
• Ability to obtain security clearance.

Skills

• Experience reading drawings and creating process flow based on a product’s drawing tree.
• Experience supporting electro-optical or laser-based systems in defense or aerospace environments.
• Experience operating vibration (shaker table) systems and executing environmental test protocols.
• Comfortable in adapting to support a wide variety of roles to support various product development and production projects.
• Working knowledge of lean manufacturing principles.
• Experience transitioning product from prototype to production.
• Intellectual curiosity and desire for continuous learning.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.
• Proficient in CAD software and ERP/MRP systems.
• Strong work ethic.
• Detail oriented and organized.
• 2+ years of experience in the defense industry.
• Experience with optical systems.

Benefits

• Generous PTO and Leave Times
• Flextime Scheduling
• Bereavement
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Financial Benefits
• Company-funded 5% contribution to your 401(k) retirement plan
• Company-funded 5% contribution to your Employee Stock Ownership Plan
• Continuing Education Assistance
• Health, Medical, And Wellness Benefits
• Medical Insurance
• Dental & Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability (LTD)
• Vision Reimbursement