Jobs at Karman Space & Defense

Supports aerospace and defense hardware through design, development, testing, qualification, and production. Develops quality plans, inspection methods, customer design review materials, and Technical Data Packages. Performs in-process and AS9102 first-article inspections, reviews purchase-order quality requirements, resolves corrective actions and nonconformances, leads root-cause investigations, and assesses supply-chain quality risks. Requires an associate degree or equivalent experience and a current or obtainable DoD Secret clearance. Occasional travel of 0–10% is required.

Leads design-for-manufacturability, process development, qualification, validation, workflow planning, capacity planning, and continuous improvement for fabrication and assembly operations. Mentors junior engineers, supports ERP integration, coordinates production resources, and resolves complex technical issues. Requires manufacturing or mechanical engineering expertise, hands-on fabrication and assembly experience, GD&T proficiency, blueprint interpretation skills, and a current or obtainable DoD Secret clearance.

Leads defense programs from planning and development through qualification, production, delivery, and contract completion. Manages cost, schedule, technical, quality, contractual, and customer objectives while coordinating engineering, operations, quality, supply chain, finance, contracts, and test teams. Serves as a key interface with customers, government stakeholders, prime contractors, suppliers, and leadership. Oversees risks, program reviews, deliverables, scope changes, design and readiness reviews, proposals, negotiations, and growth opportunities for mission-critical defense hardware.

Operate three-axis CNC machines to produce high-precision components on a weekend shift. Responsibilities include preparing tooling and materials, coordinating machine setups, interpreting blueprints, ordering cutters, maintaining equipment, following AS9100 and QMS procedures, supporting continuous improvement, and collaborating with programmers and management to optimize production quality and efficiency.

Leads aerospace and defense mechanical development engineering from concept through deployment. Responsibilities include planning and executing development and qualification testing, designing test procedures, managing instrumentation and data collection, analyzing results, preparing reports, supporting proposals and customer engagement, and mentoring junior engineers. The role requires collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to reduce technical risk, meet program objectives, and ensure product performance.

Provides program-level systems engineering oversight for hypersonic and strategic missile defense products. Leads system architecture, requirements decomposition, compliance verification, test planning, interface documentation, and multidisciplinary technical coordination. Integrates mechanical, structural, electrical, and systems engineering analyses to mature designs and achieve system readiness. Supports proposal activities, risk management, architecture trade studies, safety analyses, and aerospace regulatory compliance.

Leads mechanical system development and qualification testing for aerospace and defense programs. Responsibilities include test planning, design, execution, instrumentation, data collection and analysis, documentation, proposal support, customer collaboration, project delivery, and mentoring junior engineers. The role helps transition concepts into prototypes and full-scale systems while supporting program scope, schedule, budget, and technical performance.

Leads complex aerospace and defense programs from planning through delivery. Coordinates cross-functional engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, contracts, and finance teams while managing scope, cost, schedule, technical performance, risks, documentation, customer communication, proposals, technical reviews, and program milestones. Supports development and testing of mechanical and pyrotechnic systems and ensures contractual and technical commitments are met.

Own and continuously improve the AS9100 Quality Management System at an aerospace and defense manufacturing facility. Lead audits, corrective actions, management reviews, document control, customer and government audit interfaces, first article inspections, nonconformance and MRB activities, and supplier quality. Partner with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and program teams on risk management, configuration control, process control, production readiness, and compliance.

Programs, sets up, and operates CMMs to inspect precision aerospace and defense components. Creates inspection programs from drawings and models, interprets blueprints and GD&T, performs visual and dimensional inspections, collaborates with machinists on first-article and production compliance, maintains inspection equipment, and supports quality and environmental management systems.

Develop and maintain production schedules and rolling forecasts aligned with customer deliveries and manufacturing priorities. Coordinate MRP/ERP planning, materials, inventory, workflows, job releases, and travelers across departments. Analyze capacity and bottlenecks, adjust schedules for demand and material constraints, and collaborate with Procurement, Supply Chain, and Engineering to resolve production issues and ensure timely execution.

Leads complex aerospace and defense programs from planning through contract completion. Manages cost, schedule, technical, quality, contractual, and customer objectives while coordinating engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, quality, contracts, and test teams. Develops integrated plans, manages risks and changes, leads program reviews and readiness activities, interfaces with customers and government stakeholders, and supports proposals, negotiations, estimates, and growth opportunities.

Builds and maintains Power BI dashboards, semantic models, dataflows, scorecards, and recurring reports. Translates business requirements into governed metrics and reporting solutions, manages BI workspaces, security, refreshes, lineage, and performance, and partners with ERP stakeholders and business owners. Analyzes trends, validates and standardizes data, documents reporting assets, supports user acceptance testing, and delivers executive insights across operational, financial, manufacturing, supply chain, and enterprise processes.

Develop and optimize VTL machining programs for complex, high-precision aerospace components on 3-axis and 5-axis platforms. Responsibilities include creating machining strategies, designing fixtures, selecting cutting tools, maintaining CNC programs, troubleshooting machining issues, interpreting engineering drawings, supporting production schedules, and collaborating with engineering, quality, production, and program management teams. The role also applies AS9100 procedures, supports continuous improvement, and maintains safe, organized work practices.

Operate and maintain CNC milling machines, set up jobs, read blueprints and GD&T, take precise measurements, monitor production quality, perform minor maintenance, and follow safety procedures.

Supports the General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and legal department with SEC reporting, securities compliance, corporate governance, board and committee activities, annual meetings, M&A diligence and closings, entity management, corporate records, outside counsel coordination, and legal documentation. Maintains filing calendars, governance materials, legal-entity records, and confidential information while managing multiple deadlines in a highly regulated public-company environment.

Provides corporate legal counsel to senior management, the Board, and business leaders on governance, SEC and Nasdaq compliance, public-company disclosures, and securities laws. Leads or supports mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and strategic transactions, including diligence, documentation, approvals, closings, and integration. Manages outside counsel, conducts legal research, advises on corporate and commercial matters, and improves legal processes, templates, and playbooks.

Leads a multidisciplinary division and its Integrated Product Teams across large-scale space and defense programs. Oversees cost, schedule, technical performance, contract delivery, budgets, procurement planning, workforce development, customer relationships, proposals, and business growth. Partners with engineering and enterprise leaders to improve processes, capabilities, and integrated solutions while supporting prime contractors and government customers.

Leads end-to-end proposal and quoting activities for defense and aerospace opportunities. Manages schedules, compliance, cross-functional teams, proposal volumes, color-team reviews, pricing coordination, CRM pipeline data, capture governance, and content repositories. Ensures submissions meet FAR, DFARS, Section L/M, and customer requirements while supporting competitive bids across space and defense programs.

Provides program-level systems engineering oversight for aerospace and defense products from concept through qualification. Leads architecture, requirements decomposition, compliance verification, test planning, validation strategies, technical documentation, and interface control development. Balances design, analysis, integration, and testing across mechanical, structural, electrical, and electronic systems. Mentors engineers, contributes to engineering standards, and coordinates multidisciplinary technical activities.