Swarm Aero

Manufacturing Engineer at Swarm Aero (Oxnard, CA)

Swarm Aero· Oxnard, CA· $130k–$200k·

Role details

Salary
$130k–$200k
Work type
Onsite
Employment
Full-Time
Equity
Yes

Job description

Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming, as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results. The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars, and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic.

The Opportunity: Swarm Aero is looking for a highly motivated and experienced Senior Manufacturing Engineer to join our dedicated team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for building production lines from the ground up, implementing novel high-rate manufacturing processes, and producing advanced autonomous aircraft. What You’ll Do:

  • Work hand-in-hand with designers to develop advanced aircraft for production and implement design for manufacturing (DFM) concepts.
  • Set up manufacturing facilities from the ground up, including procurement of heavy equipment from vendors around the world and designing of custom tooling.
  • Develop and implement advanced manufacturing processes for composite and metallic aircraft components.
  • Develop and maintain manufacturing documentation, including work instructions, process flows, and tooling designs.
  • Conduct feasibility studies and production readiness reviews for new designs.
  • Own the production of prototypes and support the transition to full-scale manufacturing.

What You’ve Done:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field. An advanced degree is preferred.
  • 7+ years of experience in a manufacturing engineering role, preferably in the aerospace or defense industry.
  • Gained extensive experience with composite and metallic manufacturing processes.
  • Demonstrated proficiency with manufacturing software tools and CAD systems, such as Siemens NX, Fibersim, Warpdrive, NetSuite, ION, Manufacturo, or similar tools.
  • Acquired a solid understanding of quality control principles and practices.

What Sets You Apart:

  • You like to build and break things.
  • You ask for forgiveness instead of for permission.
  • Proven track record of success in new product development and manufacturing.
  • Experience working in fast-paced, small team environments.
  • Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
  • Strong leadership and project management abilities.

ITAR requirement To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Swarm Aero is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse backgrounds and experiences and make employment decisions without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability.

What We Offer

  • Meaningful equity in a high-growth defense technology company
  • Competitive base salary commensurate with experience
  • Medical, dental, vision, and 401k
  • PTO and paid sick leave
  • Monthly wellness stipend
  • Daily catered lunch (office)
  • Paid parental leave
  • Direct impact on a critical national security mission
  • A world-class team of engineers and operators solving genuinely hard problems

Why work at Swarm Aero

  • Culture: “Move Fast and Make Things” – a startup ethos focused on rapid design-build-test cycles and real-world impact in defense tech.
  • Work environment: Likely on-site given manufacturing and hardware focus; offices in Oxnard, CA (HQ) and Fayetteville, AR (factory).
  • Team: Work alongside veterans of Scaled Composites, Anduril, Northrop Grumman, and leaders who have built five billion-dollar startups and software with 4.6B combined active users.
  • Perks: Not publicly detailed, but typical for well-funded defense startups (competitive compensation, equity, mission-driven work). The company uses modern tools (Kubernetes, Docker, Python, MATLAB, etc.) and offers roles from engineering to program management.
  • Growth opportunity: Early-stage company with strong funding and a clear path to scale – employees can have outsized impact on product and manufacturing processes.

Application questions