At Areté, we are on the forefront of utilizing innovative solutions, with great minds from all backgrounds, to help solve the nation’s most complex security challenges. We strive for an inclusive, collaborative team environment that approaches differences as opportunities for innovation and excellence. As an employee-owned company, we foster an atmosphere that propels diverse career opportunities and professional growth.
Discover your future with us.
We are seeking a highly skilled Production Support Engineer to design manufacturing processes, procedures, and production layouts for assemblies, equipment installation, processing, and material handling. Develop sequences of operations for assemblies and specified procedures for the fabrication of tools, equipment, and other functions that impact product performance. Support mechanical design, environmental validation, and production sustainment of ruggedized electro-optical and laser-based systems. This role works closely with Senior Mechanical Engineers, Optical Engineers, Production, Quality, and Program Management to ensure mechanical integrity, alignment stability, and environmental robustness of hardware across development and production phases. This position is based in our Niwot, CO office and is classified as an exempt, non-supervisory, full-time role.
Primary Responsibilities:
• Supports mechanical design improvements and develops fixtures and tooling to improve repeatability and robustness of production hardware.
• Works with the Systems Engineering team to ensure all testing requirements are met for prototype and production products.
• Supports transition of products from prototype development to full-scale production, with emphasis on mechanical robustness, manufacturability, and repeatability.
• Inspects equipment and tools to verify their efficacy and determine their preventative maintenance schedule and calibration requirements.
• Serves as the primary operator and driver of shaker table testing, executing sine, random vibration, and shock profiles in accordance with MIL-STD-810 or customer-specific requirements.
• Develops vibration test setups and mounting strategies that accurately replicate field boundary conditions.
• Collects, analyzes, and documents vibration and shock test data to evaluate mechanical stability, fastener retention, optical alignment integrity, and structural performance.
• Assists with scheduling Manufacturing Orders.
• Exports, processes and analyzes data from ERP software tools.
• Creates, documents, and refines standardized work instructions for all assembly processes to ensure consistency and efficiency. Develops and refines mechanical assembly procedures related to torque, staking, bonding, and retention features to ensure hardware reliability.
• Participates in assembly operations to gain familiarity with the production process. Provides hands-on production support, troubleshooting mechanical issues on the manufacturing floor and working directly with technicians to resolve hardware concerns.
• Leads mechanical root cause investigations for hardware non-conformances, including loose components, alignment shifts, vibration-induced failures, or retention issues, working cross-functionally with the MRB team (Quality, Production, Program Management).
• Ensures mechanical designs and assemblies meet environmental, structural, and durability requirements in production hardware.
• Works cross-functionally with design, engineering, and quality teams to address production challenges and drive continuous improvement.
• Ensures compliance with safety regulations and promotes a culture of workplace safety
• Provides feedback to design engineering on mechanical robustness and manufacturability improvements based on test results and production experience.
• Analyzes current production processes and implements strategies for continual process improvement, reducing waste and increasing efficiency using methodologies such as Lean tools and Six Sigma.
We have an impressive range of benefits, programs, and perks that we offer:Generous PTO and Leave Times- Flextime Scheduling
- Bereavement
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Paid Parental Leave
- 401K Retirement Plan Contribution
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan
- Continuing Education Funds
- Medical Insurance
- Dental & Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability (LTD)
- Vision Reimbursement
- Creativity and innovation in solving challenges
- Integrity and responsibility in all actions
- Collaboration across teams and specialties
- Responsiveness in fast-paced environments
- Passion for national security and excellence
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, or a related field and 9+ years of experience in a production, manufacturing, or process engineering role
• Experience reading drawings and creating process flow based on a product’s drawing tree
• Mechanical aptitude with proficiency in CAD software
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, and process improvement methodologies
• Ability to create and document work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and training materials
• Ability to implement hardware solutions from concept development to delivery
• Strong problem-solving skills with a continuous improvement mindset
• Proficient use of standard MS Office software (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) including ability to organize and efficiently process data in Excel
• Occasional lifting of hardware as required
• Ability to obtain security clearance
Nice to Have (Preferred Skills):
• Experience supporting electro-optical or laser-based systems in defense or aerospace environments.
• Experience operating vibration (shaker table) systems and executing environmental test protocols
• Comfortable in adapting to support a wide variety of roles to support various product development and production projects
• Experience with electronics, PCBs, and electrical components
• Experience with epoxies, RTVs, and other adhesives
• Experience with optical systems
• Working knowledge of lean manufacturing principles
• Experience transitioning products from prototype to production
• Intellectual curiosity and desire for continuous learning
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities
• Strong work ethic
The salary range for this role is $124,000 – $143,000/yr; however, Areté considers several factors when extending an offer of employment, including but not limited to: the position and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.
Other ConsiderationsAreté is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination, and we believe every person has the right to be treated with fairness, dignity, and equal consideration.
Areté is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
U.S. citizenship is required to meet position eligibility.
Successful passage of a criminal background screen is required to meet position eligibility.
Selected applicants will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
Areté will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.
Successful passage of a Department of Transportation (DOT) drug test is required to meet position eligibility.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request an accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website because of your disability. To request an accommodation, please contact Areté Human Resources at 818-885-2200 for assistance.
Areté does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from staffing agencies, search firms, or third-party recruiters. All agency engagements must be authorized in advance through a written agreement with Areté's Human Resources Department. Areté will not be responsible for any fees or charges associated with unsolicited submissions, and any such submissions will be considered the property of Areté without obligation to the submitting party.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field
- 9+ years of experience in production, manufacturing, or process engineering
- Experience reading drawings and creating process flows from a product drawing tree
- Mechanical aptitude and proficiency with CAD software
- Experience with ERP/MRP systems
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and process improvement methodologies
- Ability to create and document work instructions, SOPs, and training materials
- Ability to implement hardware solutions from concept development through delivery
- Strong problem-solving skills and a continuous improvement mindset
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
- Ability to lift hardware occasionally
- Ability to obtain a security clearance
- Experience supporting electro-optical or laser-based systems in defense or aerospace environments
- Experience operating vibration shaker systems and executing environmental test protocols
- Experience with electronics, PCBs, and electrical components
- Experience with epoxies, RTVs, and other adhesives
- Experience with optical systems
- Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing principles
- Experience transitioning products from prototype to production
- Excellent communication and teamwork abilities
What We Do
Areté, an employee-owned company, is an advanced science and engineering company that provides innovative solutions to the most challenging technical problems faced by the United States Defense and Intelligence agencies. Areté is derived from the Greek word “ἀρέτη”, meaning the pursuit of excellence and the achievement of maximum performance. Areté was founded in 1976 by five scientists, tasked by the DoD to help solve the challenge of detecting weak signals in heavy clutter over very wide areas. The signatures involved in this work were so weak that any advancement in signal processing algorithms demanded a new approach and understanding of the underlying fundamentals affecting the sensors and signal phenomena in the environments of interest. This first-principles-of-physics approach has been a hallmark of Areté’s development programs for the past 40 years Areté now works across the electromagnetic spectrum. We develop sensors and the associated signal processing algorithms necessary for the extraction and interpretation of data for systems operating under water, in the atmosphere, and in space. With our emphasis on enhanced signal processing and real-time executable software, Areté is able to improve the performance of existing sensor systems at fractions of the cost and time to operations of replacement systems. We work directly with customers and partners seeking maximum performance. Building on our expertise in detection theory we will continue to exploit the contextual, spatial, spectral, and temporal characteristics of data, incorporating them into our signal processing algorithms. These robust algorithms will continue to enable Areté to rapidly deliver innovative solutions to the ever evolving challenges of our customers.
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