Manager, Tooling Engineering at Castelion in Torrance, CA

Job description

Why Castelion, Why Now Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus, ownership, and excellence are decisive advantages - and we're building a world-class team to turn bold ideas into real capability. This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, where you'll have significant ownership, collaborate with exceptional teammates, and make a direct, measurable impact on our mission and the future of the company - regardless of your function. Manager, Tooling Engineering Solid Rocket Motors – Aerospace & Defense Position Overview We are seeking a Manager of Tooling Engineering to lead the design, qualification, and sustainment of manufacturing tooling for Castelion’s solid rocket motor and hypersonic hardware production. This role owns the tooling engineering function supporting composite case fabrication, liner and insulator application, nozzle and closure assembly, structural bonding, sheet-metal forming, motor integration, and related process tooling. You will build and lead a team of tooling engineers who deliver safe, repeatable fixtures, jigs, holding tools, and process tooling that enable high-yield development and high-rate production for programs including Blackbeard. You will partner closely with Manufacturing Engineering, Automation & Controls, Quality, Design, and Site Operations while serving as the technical authority for tooling standards and capability across development and production sites. Key Responsibilities Lead the tooling engineering team, including priorities, technical direction, hiring, mentoring, and performance. Own the design, review, and qualification of process tooling, fixtures, jigs, holding tools, and assembly aids for SRM hardware (cases, liners, nozzles, closures, bonded joints, formed metal, and integration). Establish and enforce tooling design standards, documentation practices, drawing packages, and configuration control. Drive Design for Manufacturability and Design for Tooling input into new product introduction and design changes. Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Automation & Controls on work-cell concepts, fixture interfaces, and semi-automated or automated tooling solutions. Oversee tooling qualification, first-article tryouts, process capability assessments, and production release. Manage tooling maintenance, spare-parts strategy, life tracking, and continuous improvement of existing tooling. Coordinate with suppliers and internal machine shops on tooling fabrication, materials, and lead times. Ensure tooling designs support safety, contamination control, and compliance requirements in energetic-materials facilities. Support facility ramp and production scaling at Midland, TX and the Project Ranger campus in New Mexico. Report tooling readiness, risk, cost, and schedule metrics to senior manufacturing leadership. Required Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field required. Master’s degree preferred. Experience: 8+ years of tooling design or manufacturing engineering experience in aerospace, defense, or complex composite/precision assembly. 3+ years leading engineers or serving as a technical lead on tooling programs. Demonstrated success designing and releasing production tooling for composite structures, bonded assemblies, or propulsion hardware. Technical Skills Strong proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks or NX) for fixture and tooling design. Experience with GD&T, tolerance stack-up, fixture concepting, and manufacturing documentation. Working knowledge of composite layup/winding fixtures, bonding fixtures, machining fixtures, and assembly tooling. Familiarity with tooling materials, surface treatments, and design for wear, cleanability, and maintainability. Ability to interface with automation systems and understand work-cell constraints. Understanding of aerospace quality systems (AS9100) and