Principal Manufacturing Engineer, Energetics

Job description

About Mach Industries Founded in 2023, Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology company focused on developing next-generation autonomous defense platforms. At the core of our mission is the commitment to delivering scalable, decentralized defense systems that enhance the strategic capabilities of the United States and its allies. With a workforce of approximately 350 employees, we operate with startup agility and ambition. Our vision is to redefine the future of warfare through cutting-edge manufacturing, innovation at speed, and unwavering focus on national security. We are dedicated to solving the next generation of warfare with lethal systems that deter kinetic conflict and protect global security. The Role Mach Industries is seeking a Principal Manufacturing Engineer, Energetics to lead the development and industrialization of manufacturing systems for solid rocket motors (SRMs), pyrotechnics, and energetic products. This role will have end-to-end technical ownership of energetic manufacturing capability, from early manufacturing concepts and process architecture through facility buildout, equipment integration, commissioning, qualification, and production launch. You will define how energetic products are manufactured at scale: translating product and process requirements into manufacturing cells, production lines, hazardous-process facilities, equipment specifications, controls architectures, material flows, and commissioning plans. This is a highly cross-functional role requiring coordination across product engineering, manufacturing, automation, facilities, EHS, quality, operations, external A/E firms, equipment OEMs, and systems integrators. The ideal candidate has personally taken complex manufacturing systems from concept through production and is comfortable operating as the technical DRI for large, multidisciplinary capital projects. Key Responsibilities Manufacturing System & Line Design • Own the manufacturing architecture for solid rocket motor, pyrotechnic, and other energetic production lines from raw material receipt through finished-product acceptance. • Translate product requirements and production targets into manufacturing processes, equipment requirements, cycle times, staffing models, material flows, and factory layouts. • Develop process flows, equipment concepts, line balancing, capacity models, manufacturing requirements, and capital equipment roadmaps. • Establish equipment boundaries, interfaces, utilities, controls requirements, inspection strategy, and material-handling concepts. • Lead design reviews including process, equipment, layout, automation, operability, maintainability, and production-readiness reviews. • Identify manufacturing bottlenecks and develop scalable production architectures capable of supporting significant rate increases. • Drive Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) feedback into product development. Energetics Process Industrialization • Industrialize manufacturing processes associated with solid rocket motors and pyrotechnic products, including energetic material preparation, mixing, casting/dispensing, curing, machining, assembly, inspection, testing, and material handling. • Translate development processes into robust, repeatable production processes with defined operating windows and acceptance criteria. • Develop process specifications, manufacturing requirements, equipment URS documents, control plans, and qualification strategies. • Partner with EHS and process safety teams to incorporate energetic-material hazards into equipment and process design. • Drive reductions in operator exposure and manual handling through appropriate automation, remote operation, process isolation, and engineered controls. Facility & Infrastructure Buildout • Serve as the manufacturing technical owner for new energetic production facilities and major facility expansions. • Translate manufacturing processes into facility requirements including equipment layouts, utilities, hazardous-area requirements, material flows, personnel flows, storage requirements, and operational constraints. • Work directly with architects, A/E firms, general contractors, EHS, authorities having jurisdiction, and equipment integrators throughout facility design and construction. • Participate in concept design, basis-of-design development, FEED, detailed design, construction, installation, and startup. • Ensure facility design supports production throughput, equipment maintainability, future expansion, safe operations, and efficient material movement. • Own manufacturing requirements and interfaces between the facility, process equipment, automation systems, utilities, and production operations. Capital Equipment & Integration • Develop technical specifications and requirements for custom and off-the-shelf manufacturing equipment. • Lead equipment vendor and systems-integrator selection from technical evaluation through execution. • Own technical execution of major manufacturing equipment programs including design reviews, fabrication, integration, installation, and acceptance. • Work with automation engineers and integrators to define controls, robotics, machine vision, data acquisition, traceability, and manufacturing software requirements. • Review and approve equipment designs for process capability, safety, serviceability, controls architecture, and production readiness. • Manage technical interfaces across multiple equipment suppliers and integrators to ensure individual systems function as a complete manufacturing line. Commissioning & Production Launch • Own manufacturing equipment commissioning and line startup from installation through production release. • Develop and execute equipment acceptance and commissioning strategies including FAT, SAT, commissioning, process qualification, and production-readiness activities. • Lead equipment debugging, process characterization, capability studies, and production trials. • Establish equipment and pr