Composites Manufacturing Engineer
The Palmer Group · Orange City, IA
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $90k–$115k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 3+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 9 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level manufacturing role at The Palmer Group (industrial) in Orange City, IA. Provide shop floor support to resolve production issues, reduce scrap, and improve throughput.
- They ask for
- 3+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- FMEA, Tooling, SolidWorks, CATIA / NX
- Base pay
- $90k–$115k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in Iowa: typical posted base $100k–$121k. This one lists $90k–$115k.
Median of the low and high ends of 4 live postings that list pay, out of 11 manufacturing engineer openings in Iowa, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Iowa plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 10 other live manufacturing postings in Iowa.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Lean 55%
- Six Sigma 36%
- Team leadership 27%
- ✓ New product launch 27%
- ✓ SolidWorks 27%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for CATIA / NX, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at The Palmer Group
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
Full description from The Palmer GroupAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
What You Will Do
- ◆Provide shop floor support to resolve production issues, reduce scrap, and improve throughput
- ◆Lead new product introduction, including routing documentation and process setup
- ◆Develop and maintain work instructions, BOMs, and ERP manufacturing documentation
- ◆Own and improve composite compression molding and curing processes, including thermal profiles
- ◆Support process qualification, ensure compliance, and collaborate with customers on technical
requirements
- ✓Drive continuous improvement, conduct FMEA, and translate engineering drawings into efficient manufacturing methods, including tooling and cost considerations
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
This Composites Manufacturing Engineer role is driven by a surge in new and ongoing programs, creating immediate needs for engineers who can make an impact. The team is expanding to support increased project work across UAV composite development, autoclave and thermal process improvements, and core production, with a focus on scrap reduction and customer issues. This is a hands-on role for someone who can quickly integrate into a fast-paced manufacturing environment, take ownership of key projects, and help stabilize and improve operations. You’ll work across process development, continuous improvement, tooling, and shop floor execution with a strong focus on practical problem-solving in a build-to-print setting. Interested in making an immediate impact? Apply today or reach out to learn more!
Work Model
- •On-Site
to Be Successful
- •Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field
- •3+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in composites or similar environments
- •Strong experience with composite compression molding processes, autoclave thermal profiling, or composites production support
- •Proficiency with CAD tools such as SolidWorks, CATIA V5, or Inventor