Senior Process Engineer
Job description
About the role
The Senior Process Engineer collaborates with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Safety, and Compliance.
Software engineers turn product ideas into working code. Engineers work in small teams, review each other's work, and ship in small batches. Most teams follow agile practices such as sprints and daily standups. Engineers also write tests, fix bugs, and improve performance. The field values clear communication as much as technical skill. Engineers spend part of every week on planning, code review, and debugging, not just writing new code. The ability to explain a technical decision in plain words separates strong engineers from the rest.
Key facts
Requirements
A Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, Materials Science, or other relevant engineering discipline with 7 years of experience in process engineering, manufacturing engineering, or a related field is required, or a Master's degree in a relevant field with 5 years of experience, or 11 years of hands-on process and manufacturing engineering experience in lieu of a degree.
Demonstrated experience leading process development and scale-up from early-stage feasibility through production qualification in a manufacturing environment is required.
Clear and effective verbal and written communication skills are necessary to convey technical concepts through the development and maintenance of SOPs, work instructions, process specifications, and technical documentation aligned with production standards.
The ability to implement Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies with measurable results in process improvement, yield, or throughput is required.
Structured root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies such as 8D, fishbone, and 5-Why are applied to manufacturing nonconformances and process deviations.
Process data are collected, analyzed, and interpreted to drive engineering decisions and support continuous improvement, even in low-volume or novel manufacturing environments.
Complex problems are solved from first principles with minimal supervision, both independently and as a contributing team member in a fast-paced startup environment.
A demonstrated commitment to safety culture and the ability to operate within rigorous regulatory environments including OSHA, ITAR, and hazardous/energetic materials standards are required.
Nice to have
Experience with energetic materials, solid rocket motor propellant chemistry, or other hazardous manufacturing environments is valued.
Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification (Green or Black Belt) with demonstrated application in automated production environments is preferred.
Practical notes
The position requires U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residency, or equivalent protected status to meet ITAR and export regulations.
Typical interview steps
Hiring for engineering roles usually starts with a recruiter screen, followed by one or two technical rounds. Candidates often solve a coding problem, discuss past projects, and answer system design questions. Some loops include a take-home task. Final rounds typically cover team fit and give candidates a chance to ask questions. Interviewers look for how you break down an unfamiliar problem, not just whether you reach the answer. Practicing a few problems aloud and reviewing your own past projects are the best preparation.
Good to know
The role centers on process ownership for energetic materials and solid rocket motor manufacturing.
Root cause analysis methods such as 8D, fishbone, and 5-Why are commonly used to resolve manufacturing issues.
Mentoring of junior engineers and technicians is a regular part of the responsibilities.
General career growth follows structured processes, performance metrics, and continuous improvement frameworks.
Career growth
Engineering careers usually progress from individual contributor to senior, staff, and principal levels. Some engineers move into management and lead teams of five to twenty people. Others stay on the technical track. Growth follows demonstrated impact, not tenure alone. A typical engineering ladder has clear levels with defined expectations for scope, quality, and mentorship. Moving up usually requires owning outcomes end to end rather than completing assigned tickets.