Materials Manufacturing Engineer III
About This Role
Textron Systems in Wilmington, MA is seeking a skilled Composite Materials professional to support the development of advanced materials, thermal protection systems and high‑temperature composite structures used in cutting‑edge hypersonic and reentry programs. This role sits at the intersection of engineering and manufacturing, with significant time spent on the shop floor and in the lab executing builds, refining processes and conducting material testing. You will help translate design requirements into repeatable, efficient manufacturing methods while troubleshooting defects and improving quality, yield and throughput.
The ideal candidate is detail‑oriented, highly hands‑on and comfortable working in a fast‑paced, low‑volume/high‑mix environment. You should be adaptable, collaborative and able to quickly iterate and make data-driven decisions in both development and production settings.
Job Responsibilities
You will work closely with design engineering and manufacturing teams to support development and production of advanced composite materials (carbon/carbon, 3D woven, laminated, resin‑infused systems). Responsibilities include\:
• Translating material and design requirements into robust manufacturing processes and clear work instructions in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
• Planning and executing material fabrication, including layup, preforming, infusion (VARTM/RTM) and curing.
• Developing and optimizing process parameters (resin systems, flow media, vacuum strategy, cure cycles).
• Designing and supporting tooling for complex preforms and infusion setups.
• Performing hands‑on builds, trials and process validation on the shop floor.
• Developing and executing mechanical, thermal and environmental test plans.
• Analyzing test data to characterize material properties and drive continuous process improvements.
• Supporting process qualification and first‑article activities.
• Investigating defects (voids, dry spots, delamination’s) and implementing root‑cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Collaborating with design engineering on material selection, laminate stack‑ups and DFM/DFA considerations.
• Interfacing with suppliers for fibers, resins, and preforms and supporting material down‑select and qualification.
• Ensuring compliance with aerospace and defense standards and specifications.
• Evaluating emerging manufacturing technologies and conducting cost/benefit assessments for potential adoption.