Tooling Design Engineer

**Immediate Manufacturing Engineering hiring need!**

Job Description

We are seeking Manufacturing Process Development Engineers for a 6-month contract role, with the potential for extension or transition to full-time employment. As a part of the Manufacturing Engineering department, you will develop and implement robust manufacturing processes to ensure defense products are produced efficiently, reliably, and at scale. You will design, optimize, and implement manufacturing processes, focusing on manual assembly operations, dispense applications, and technical documentation creation in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize manual assembly processes to maximize efficiency, quality, and repeatability in a high-volume, low-mix production environment.
• Develop comprehensive manufacturing work instructions and process documentation with clear visual aids to enable consistent production quality.
• Provide active lineside support during production, addressing process deviations promptly and implementing solutions to maintain production flow.
• Drive issue resolution through root cause analysis, corrective actions, and preventive measures to continuously improve manufacturing processes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including design engineering, quality, and production, to ensure manufacturability of new and existing products.
• Evaluate and implement process improvements to reduce cycle time, minimize defects, and increase overall manufacturing efficiency.
• Develop and validate process parameters, establishing clear control limits to ensure consistent quality.
• Support new product introductions by developing robust manufacturing processes that can scale from prototype to production.
• Participate in design reviews to provide manufacturing feedback and ensure designs are optimized for assembly.
• Engineer and optimize manual dispensing operations for adhesives, sealants, thermal materials, and other critical applications.
• Support assembly line for electronics and ESD (electrostatic discharge).

Essential Skills

• 3 years of experience in manufacturing process development, preferably in a high-reliability industry.
• Expertise in creating clear, detailed work instructions and manufacturing process documentation.
• Experience optimizing manual assembly operations and establishing standardized work.
• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field.
• Proven ability to analyze and improve manufacturing processes using lean manufacturing principles.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills with the ability to implement effective solutions quickly.
• Proficiency with CAD software for creating assembly documentation and tooling design.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with adhesives, sealants, thermal materials, or electronics assembly.
• Knowledge of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) principles.
• Familiarity with Statistical Process Control (SPC) and capability studies.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Experience with manufacturing execution systems and digital work instructions.
• Active US DoD Secret Clearance.

Work Environment

The role is based at a new manufacturing site in Santa Ana, California. The company has acquired a new building and is establishing assembly lines in a Work Bench style. This opportunity offers a chance to work on state-of-the-art technology that supports the defense industry. The company is experiencing strong growth and has gained confidence from investors

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Costa Mesa, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $60.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Costa Mesa,CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Dec 15, 2025.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

Salary : $50 - $60