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Hadrian is building autonomous factories to reindustrialize America by combining AI, advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing for aerospace and defense companies. The company helps customers build rockets, satellites, aircraft, ships, and other mission-critical systems up to 10x faster and at significantly lower cost. Following a $1.37B Series D at a $7.87B valuation, Hadrian is rapidly expanding manufacturing capabilities across welding, casting, forging, electronics, additive manufacturing, and more.
As a Build Engineer for Large Scale Machining, you will own how the company's largest machined parts get made, including castings, forgings, plate weldments, and hull-scale structures. You will own each part from the first design review through qualification, ramp, and handoff to standard production, serving as the bridge between product and Capability Engineering.
Key responsibilities include: interpreting and defining product requirements from customer specifications and translating them into machining requirements; reverse engineering parts where technical data is incomplete; reviewing models and drawings for machinability at scale; owning the end-to-end machining route (rough, stress relief, semi-finish, finish, inspection); setting setup counts and datum strategies; defining high-level processes for each operation and handing them to Capability Engineering; defining lift points and part flow; owning design intent for large-part fixtures and workholding; providing setup sheets and datum schemes to CNC Programming; building and maintaining BOM structures and work instructions in PLM, ERP, and MES systems; recommending make/buy decisions; planning and executing qualification builds; and owning disposition and root cause for non-conformances.
This is a hands-on role. You will be at the machine for first parts and will own the outcome. You sit on the Build Engineering Commodities team alongside sheet metal and tube and pipe specialists.
REQUIREMENTS:
- 5+ years of experience in build, manufacturing, or production engineering with direct ownership of large machined parts (roughly 2 m and up, castings, forgings, or heavy weldments) from requirements through production
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering, or equivalent hands-on experience
- Experience interpreting and defining product requirements from customer specifications, drawings, and contract quality clauses, and translating them into build requirements
- Strong GD&T and tolerance-stack skills across multi-setup parts, with proven datum strategy
- Working knowledge of large-format machining (horizontal boring mills, gantry and bridge mills, large 5-axis machining centers, VTLs) and large-part metrology
- Experience reverse engineering parts or assemblies from incomplete technical data, legacy drawings, or physical parts
- Experience structuring BOMs, work orders, and work instructions in PLM, ERP, or MES systems, including engineering change and configuration management
- Proficiency in 3D CAD
- Comfort operating hands-on on the factory floor and making sound decisions under schedule pressure
- Ability to work on-site at the Los Angeles factory
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
- Hands-on experience running or programming large-format machines, including reading and critiquing CNC toolpaths
- Experience with distortion control on large parts, including stress relief sequencing, stock strategy, and thermal effects
- Experience with difficult materials such as Monel and other nickel-copper alloys, stainless steel, dissimilar-metal joints, and cladded surfaces
- Exposure to weld qualification (PQR/WPS) where machined features meet weld joints
- Background in aerospace, defense, naval, or energy programs with first article and customer source inspection
- Experience standing up a new cell or factory while the product was still in development
ITAR REQUIREMENT: Must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
