HIKINEX

An advanced aerospace and defense technology company is seeking an Industrial Engineer to help architect and scale next-generation production systems for high-volume autonomous and interceptor platforms.

This role is focused on factory design, production system architecture, capacity planning, and manufacturing scale-up. The ideal candidate has experience building production systems from the ground up and understands how to optimize manufacturing operations for throughput, cost, quality, and scalability.

This is a highly hands-on and high-ownership role where you’ll help shape manufacturing strategy from early prototype builds through sustained high-rate production.

• Design scalable factory layouts optimized for flow, throughput, takt time, and operational efficiency
• Develop production cell concepts for manual, semi-automated, and automated assembly environments
• Build value stream maps and future-state production workflows
• Define workstation layouts, labor allocation models, and material flow strategies
• Design inventory flow concepts including kitting, supermarkets, and point-of-use systems
• Support production facility build-outs, line expansion planning, and manufacturing infrastructure development

• Build detailed production rate and throughput models tied to manufacturing demand forecasts
• Analyze:
  • Takt time
  • Cycle time
  • Throughput
  • Bottlenecks
  • Labor efficiency
  • Capacity constraints
• Develop scaling strategies for pilot production, low-rate builds, and future high-volume manufacturing
• Create multi-scenario production plans supporting rate ramps and supplier scaling
• Identify manufacturing readiness risks and mitigation strategies

• Implement lean manufacturing principles across production workflows
• Drive line balancing, waste reduction, and flow optimization initiatives
• Conduct time studies and labor productivity analysis
• Support OEE tracking and production performance measurement systems
• Analyze yield, throughput, cycle time, and rework metrics to improve operational efficiency
• Help develop standardized work instructions and scalable manufacturing processes

• Partner closely with manufacturing engineering, supply chain, facilities, quality, and operations teams
• Participate in design-for-producibility reviews and manufacturing trade studies
• Support make-versus-buy decisions and contract manufacturing evaluations
• Assist with supplier industrialization and manufacturing readiness assessments
• Provide hands-on support during prototype builds, production ramp events, and early manufacturing operations

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical discipline
• 5+ years of experience in factory design, production system optimization, manufacturing scale-up, or industrial engineering
• Experience building or supporting high-rate manufacturing environments
• Strong understanding of:
  • Lean manufacturing
  • Capacity planning
  • Value stream mapping
  • Takt time and cycle time analysis
  • OEE measurement
  • Line balancing
  • Throughput optimization
• Experience supporting production ramp or greenfield manufacturing build-outs
• Experience developing production rate models using Excel, Python, VBA, simulation tools, or similar platforms
• Comfortable working in fast-paced startup or development-stage manufacturing environments
• U.S. citizenship required; ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance required

• Aerospace, defense, automotive, robotics, semiconductor, or other high-volume manufacturing industries
• Production systems supporting complex electromechanical hardware
• Factory simulation or digital manufacturing tools such as:
  • FlexSim
  • AnyLogic
  • Arena
  • Simulink
• ERP, MES, or PLM integration experience
• High-rate automated assembly or robotics manufacturing
• Experience scaling manufacturing operations from prototype through production
• Startup or greenfield factory build-out experience
• Contract manufacturing and supplier industrialization exposure

This role offers the opportunity to help build a manufacturing operation from the ground up inside a rapidly growing aerospace and defense environment.

The team is looking for engineers who understand not only how to optimize existing factories, but how to architect scalable production systems from scratch — balancing cost, throughput, automation, and manufacturability for future high-rate production.

You’ll work closely with both engineering and operations leadership while helping define the long-term production strategy for next-generation hardware platforms.

• Competitive compensation and equity package
• Comprehensive healthcare coverage
• 401(k) matching
• PTO flexibility
• Relocation assistance may be available
• Full-time onsite collaboration environment
• U.S. citizenship required due to security and export control requirements

📍 Location: The Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, CA (Onsite)

To learn more or express interest, connect directly via:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ra...