Senior Operations Engineer (ME Composites)

FlightWave, a wholly owned subsidiary of Red Cat Holdings, is looking to fill a Sr. Operations Engineer position with a focus on mechanical integration and composites production. We are a dynamic and growing drone technology company focused on the manufacturing of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS drones) for use in defense, public safety, and other government security organizations.

This role blends deep hands-on knowledge of composite fabrication with strong experience in mechanical integration, tooling, and production automation. You’ll be at the center of bringing complex drone platforms to life at scale.

Location Note: This role is onsite in Carson, California.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and refine mechanical assembly processes for structural, mechanical, and electro-mechanical subsystems.
• Design jigs, fixtures, and tooling to support composite fabrication, precision alignment, and repeatable assembly.
• Support integration of composite structures with mechanical hardware, avionics enclosures, and subassemblies.
• Lead implementation of automation and semi-automation tools to improve assembly efficiency and consistency.
• Specify, procure, and support manufacturing equipment
• Develop and optimize composite manufacturing processes, including layup, curing, trimming, and bonding.
• Create and maintain MBOMs, work instructions, build logs, and process documentation.
• Analyze manufacturing workflows and implement improvements for quality, cost, and throughput.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
• 6+ years of experience in a manufacturing oriented engineering environment
• 3+ years of SolidWorks experience
• Familiarity with CNC programming, motion systems, or light factory automation.
• Strong understanding of mechanical systems, tolerance stack-ups, and hands-on assembly.
• Experience with production equipment setup, tooling design, and workstation development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in aerospace, robotics, or unmanned systems manufacturing.
• Experience with statistical process qualification tools such as Gage R&R, process capability analysis (Cp, Cpk), SPC, or measurement systems analysis (MSA).

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds independently, including tooling, composite materials, fixtures, and equipment.
• Must be able to stand, walk, and move continuously throughout the production facility for extended periods.
• Ability to kneel, crouch, reach overhead, and perform repetitive hand motions required for composite layup, trimming, bonding, and mechanical assembly tasks.
• Manual dexterity and fine motor skills required for precise fabrication and tooling work, including handling of s