Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Sheet Metal & Tube Forming

About Mach Industries

Founded in 2023, Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology company focused on developing next-generation autonomous defense platforms. At the core of our mission is the commitment to delivering scalable, decentralized defense systems that enhance the strategic capabilities of the United States and its allies. With a workforce of approximately 350 employees, we operate with startup agility and ambition.

Our vision is to redefine the future of warfare through cutting-edge manufacturing, innovation at speed, and unwavering focus on national security. We are dedicated to solving the next generation of warfare with lethal systems that deter kinetic conflict and protect global security.

The Role

Mach Industries is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Sheet Metal & Tube Forming to lead the development and industrialization of our metal forming capabilities, including hydroforming, press brake forming, tube bending, and related processes.

You will own the manufacturing approach from part feasibility and equipment selection through tooling development, process qualification, and production ramp. This includes specifying equipment, developing manufacturing process plans, and establishing the capacity, material flow, and process controls required to deliver high-quality hardware at production rate.

This is a hands-on engineering role. You will work directly with Design Engineering, Production, Tooling, Quality, Supply Chain, and equipment suppliers to establish new capabilities, troubleshoot forming challenges, and turn prototype methods into repeatable production processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Own metal forming process development across hydroforming, press brake forming, tube bending, and related sheet metal and tube manufacturing technologies, supporting both prototype development and production.
• Define the right manufacturing approach for each part family. Evaluate material, geometry, tolerances, production volume, tooling investment, and downstream operations to select capable, cost-effective forming processes.
• Specify and select production equipment. Develop technical requirements covering working envelope, forming force or pressure, material capability, controls, tooling interfaces, changeover, automation, safety, and required throughput. Evaluate supplier proposals and support capital investment decisions.
• Develop end-to-end manufacturing process plans covering raw material preparation, blanking or cutting, forming sequences, intermediate treatments where required, trimming, inspection, and handoff to welding, finishing, or assembly.
• Design, develop, and qualify forming tooling, including dies, punches, mandrels, fixtures, gauges, and handling aids. Work with internal tooling resources and external suppliers to validate designs and establish reliable tool performance.
• Establish and validate process parameters through hands-on trials. Develop repeatable setups and process windows that account for material condition, lubrication, springback, dimensional variation, and tooling wear.
• Own forming capacity and throughput planning. Build models that account for cycle time, loading and unloading, changeovers, batch sizes, labor, yield, and equipment availability. Translate production demand into equipment quantities, staffing requirements, and material-flow plans.
• Lead equipment implementation and production launch. Coordinate supplier trials, factory and site acceptance testing, installation, commissioning, operator training, and production-rate demonstrations with Facilities, Maintenance, Automation, and EHS.
• Partner with Design Engineering on manufacturability. Influence material selection, bend geometry, radii, tolerances, datum schemes, and part architecture to improve formability, reduce secondary operations, and simplify production.
• Establish inspection methods and process controls with Quality. Troubleshoot cracking, wrinkling, thinning, springback, tube ovality, surface damage, and dimensional nonconformances, and implement corrective actions that prevent recurrence.
• Standardize and improve production execution. Create process routings, setup sheets, work instructions, tooling documentation, and training materials. Drive measurable improvements in throughput, material utilization, first-pass yield, changeover time, and cost per part.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent hands-on manufacturing and process development experience.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, process engineering, tooling engineering, or a closely related role, with substantial experience in sheet metal or tube forming.
• Hands-on experience developing and troubleshooting multiple forming processes, with strong technical depth in hydroforming, press brake forming, or tube bending.
• Experience selecting or specifying manufacturing equipment and tooling and taking new processes from development trials into repeatable production.
• Strong understanding of metal formability, material condition, grain direction, work hardening, springback, bend allowances, and forming-related defects.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), and use CAD tools to develop or review tooling, fixtures, and manufacturing concepts.
• Experience developing manufacturing process plans, estimating cycle times and capacity, and using production data to improve quality, throughput, or cost.
• Strong hands-on troubleshooting, technical documentation, and cross-functional communication skills, with the ability to independently drive projects from concept through implementation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience launching hydroforming capabilities, developing CNC press brake processes, or implementing mandrel tube bending operations.
• Experience forming thin-gauge or thin-wall components in stainless steel, titanium, or nickel-based alloys, in addition to aluminum and conventional steels.
• Experience with deep drawing, stamping, roll forming, metal spinning, or forming simulation to evaluate manufacturability and support tooling development.
• Experience integrating forming operations with laser cutting, trimming, welding, robotic handling, automated inspection, or quick-change tooling systems.
• Experience in aerospace, propulsion, defense, automotive, or other precision manufacturing environments, particularly bringing outsourced processes in-house or transitioning prototype hardware into higher-rate production.

Additional Requirements

• Available to work extended hours and weekends as needed

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here .

Senior Engineer $140,000 — $180,000 USD Principal Engineer $195,000 — $220,000 USD

At Mach, we believe that compensation is more than just a paycheck. It's a comprehensive package designed to reward the time, skills, and expertise you bring to our team. We are committed to offering competitive compensation that is equitable, transparent, and aligned with market trends.