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Manufacturing Engineer 1

PDS Defense

Palmdale, CAContract / Temporary$31–36/hrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$31–36/hr
Location
Palmdale, CA
Schedule
Contract / Temporary
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Bachelor's degree

Job overview

PDS Defense seeks a Manufacturing Engineer 1 in Palmdale to support manufacturing methods for engineering designs and product assembly. The role includes tool design reviews, defining build sequences, addressing non-conforming products, and supporting cost-conscious assembly across several systems. The posting describes a first-shift schedule and lists composite experience, GD&T, CAD/model-based tools, and structured root-cause methods as preferred qualifications.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

CommunicationComposite ProcessingGeometric Dimensioning and TolerancingCATIACAD ModelingRoot Cause AnalysisCorrective Action

Qualifications

Bachelor's in Electrical or Aerospace Engineering0-2 Years Experience

Benefits

401(k) Match
Paid Time Off
Medical Insurance

Full job description

Engineering

Manufacturing Engineer 1 Palmdale, CA Posted: 11/2/2026

Job Description

Job ID#:

227001

Job Category:

Engineering

Position Type:

Associate - W2

Duration:

52

Shift:

1

PDS Defense, Inc. is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer 1, in Palmdale, CA. Job ID#227001

Pay Rate: $31 - $36/jr

Job Description:

Provide guidance to Engineering regarding design concepts to ensure the best manufacturing technique is being used to meet the Engineering design

Participate in tool design reviews to ensure tools are feasible and reduce build times and program costs during assembly

Define sequence of operations for product builds, investigate and initiate corrective actions and improvements that involve non-conforming product and identify improvement opportunities in areas that require producibility and affordability initiatives

Provide liaison support for Engineering definition to influence low production costs for integrated assembly related to electrical, hydraulics, fuels, fluids and propulsion systems

Manufacturing Engineers for Aeronautics Systems are expected to provide technical solutions to a wide range of complex and difficult problems. They are problem solvers who have the ability to provide results that are innovative, thorough, practical, and consistent with organization objectives. We seek Manufacturing Engineers that use a unique skill set that includes a hands-on approach and act as the technical representative voice for the Manufacturing organization.

Basic Qualifications:

0-2 year of experience with Bachelor's in electrical engineering or Aerospace engineering, Degree.

Ability to interface/communicate with multiple levels of leadership, clients, and vendors

Ability to work 1st shift "5am-3:30pm" and/or any work schedule (times may vary)

Associate Manufacturing Engineering Physical Demands: The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to:

Traverse unit/product and operate in manufacturing/production environment to include: tooling, stands, ladders, steps etc. while wearing appropriate PPE, occasionally enter confined space.

Ability to work for extended periods of time on a computer or similar device for up to 10 hours / duration of shift. Occasional periods of standing. but 99% in a cubicle/desk setting, no interaction with the product, strictly computer work.

Preferred Qualifications:

Composite experience and process knowledge

Knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)

Knowledge of Catia or equivalent CAD/Model-based engineering tools.

Knowledge of performing root cause and corrective action(RCCA) using structured methodologies.

Benefits offered to vary by the contract. Depending on your temporary assignment, benefits may include direct deposit, free career counseling services, 401(k), select paid holidays, short-term disability insurance, skills training, employee referral bonus, affordable medical coverage plan, and DailyPay (in some locations). For a full description of benefits available to you, be sure to talk with your recruiter.

Job Requirements

Minimum Security Clearance:

No Clearance

Military connected talent encouraged to apply.

VEVRAA Federal Contractor / Request Priority Protected Veteran Referrals / Equal Opportunity Employer / Veterans / Disabled

To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please visit http://www.tadpgs.com/candidate-privacy/ or https://pdsdefense.com/candidate-privacy/

The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

  • The California Fair Chance Act

  • Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance

  • Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers

  • San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

VEVRAA Federal Contractor / Request Priority Protected Veteran Referrals / Equal Opportunity Employer / Veterans / Disabled

How this job compares

Set against the 5,633 open Manufacturing Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 3, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$31–36/hr
  • California median$46–55/hr40 hourly ranges
  • US median$40–48/hr352 hourly ranges

This range's midpoint, $33.50/hr, is 34% below the California median midpoint ($51/hr) — in the lowest quarter of Manufacturing Engineer hourly ranges in California.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 1,085 open Manufacturing Engineer jobs in California and 5,633 across the US. Under 1% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in California
Experience
This posting asks for no prior experience — less than three in four Manufacturing Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 3 years, across 4,437 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 3,154 of the 5,633 open Manufacturing Engineer jobs (56%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 3, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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