Lead UAS Manufacturing Engineer
Company: COLSA Corporation
Location: Huntsville
Posted on: April 3, 2026
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Job Description:
General Summary Assists with the development, stand-up, and
optimization of manufacturing operations for a UAS (Unmanned
Aircraft Systems) production facility. Responsible for establishing
production processes, building and leading an engineering team, and
ensuring efficient, scalable manufacturing of aircraft systems and
components. Applies broad engineering expertise, including additive
manufacturing, machining, digital design tools, and configuration
management practices, to support facility design, production
readiness, and ongoing operational excellence. * Principal Duties
and Responsibilities (Essential Functions): Assists with the
stand-up and operational readiness of a UAS manufacturing facility,
including layout, workflow design, equipment selection, and
production line implementation. Develops, implements, and optimizes
manufacturing processes to align with AS9100 for UAS platforms,
subassemblies, and components, including additive manufacturing
processes such as SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) and FDM (Fused
Deposition Modeling). Establishes and manages additive
manufacturing workflows, including part design considerations,
build preparation, machine operation, and post-processing for both
SLS and FDM technologies. Determines appropriate use cases for
additive manufacturing (prototype, tooling, end-use parts) and
integrates them into production and engineering workflows.
Implements and supports configuration management processes to
ensure proper control of product structures, revisions, and
engineering changes across manufacturing. Ensures alignment between
engineering designs and production builds through effective use of
PDM/PLM systems, maintaining accurate BOMs, revision control, and
as-built vs. as-designed traceability. Supports engineering change
management (ECO/ECN), ensuring timely and accurate implementation
on the production floor. Builds, mentors, and leads a manufacturing
engineering team to support production, process improvement, and
new product introduction (NPI). Collaborates with design
engineering using SolidWorks and PDM systems to ensure
manufacturability (DFM/DFA) and proper configuration control of
components and assemblies. Develops and maintains manufacturing
documentation including work instructions, process flows, and
production routers. Drives manufacturing readiness activities
including process validation, First Article Inspection (FAI), and
production ramp-up. Identifies, analyzes, and resolves complex
manufacturing and production issues using data-driven methods and
engineering best practices. Implements lean manufacturing
principles, continuous improvement initiatives, and cost reduction
strategies. Oversees selection, installation, and qualification of
manufacturing equipment, tooling, and test systems, including
additive manufacturing equipment. Develops and maintains production
metrics, KPIs, and reporting systems to track performance,
throughput, and quality. Partners with supply chain and logistics
teams to ensure material availability, kitting strategies, and
production flow alignment. Ensures compliance with safety, quality,
and regulatory requirements applicable to aerospace/UAS
manufacturing. Provides technical leadership and guidance to junior
engineers and production staff. At COLSA, people are our most
valuable resource and centered at our core value. We invite you to
unite your talents with opportunity and be a part of our “Family of
Professionals!” Learn about our employee-centric culture and
benefits here .
Keywords: COLSA Corporation, Chattanooga , Lead UAS Manufacturing Engineer, Engineering , Huntsville, Tennessee
