Selecting right positions for composite-integrated sensors for monitoring cure during manufacturing and loads during product use presents challenges for engineering design. Since an optimal sensor placement (OSP) methodology for both phases is not emphasised enough in literature, a new methodology is proposed. This methodology is based on a Genetic Algorithm and strain gauges, temperature sensors and interdigitated electrode sensors for cure monitoring and physics-informed neural network-based load detection. Additionally, it includes sensor node positions optimization in a sensor network.