Engineering Manager, Production

YOUR MISSION

As Engineering Manager, Production you will lead the Long Beach-based team of production engineers to deliver developmental units and fully qualified spacecraft on aggressive timelines. You will own the build processes, schedules, capacity planning, and the execution outcomes of production.  

You will partner closely with Program Management and Engineering to provide inputs to program schedules, align capacity with demand, ensure design for manufacturability, and drive disciplined execution against production milestones. You will be accountable for adapting production to program needs, continuously improving efficiency, automation, and process maturity to deliver the required quality at the required time.  

This role requires both strategic foresight and hands-on leadership: setting standards, driving automation, solving problems, and developing people to their full potential while ensuring every spacecraft meets mission assurance standards. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and mentor a high-performing team of production engineers providing distance, direction, and motivation to complete the mission, growing capacity within our most important asset: our people. 
• Manage the team and cross-team production coordination utilizing effective and efficient tools that reduce friction and fuel high-quality, high-rate output 
• Own execution of production schedules to meet program commitments. 
• Drive load capacity planning: forecast demand, balance resources, maximize efficiency, and ensure teams are properly staffed and focused. 
• Provide accurate inputs to the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), aligning production activities with program needs. 
• Own and continuously improve build processes, ensuring efficiency, repeatability, and compliance with AS9100/ISO9001 standards. 
• Drive partnership with design teams to ensure high quality design that not only meets requirements, but is maximized for the production needs of a program. 
• Champion efficiency and automation initiatives to reduce cycle time, improve first-time yield, and scale production capability. 
• Ensure facilities and workspaces are clean, organized, and optimized for safety and efficiency.  

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE 

• Production schedules executed with milestones met and product delivered at required quality. 
• Efficiency and automation efforts measurably reduce turn time and increase throughput each iteration. 
• Capacity plans that maximize utilization, minimize downtime, while preventing bottlenecks. 
• High first-time yield at quality with reduced anomalies demonstrate process maturity. 
• Team engagement and technical excellence known across the organization. 
• Build processes that are scalable, disciplined, and trusted by stakeholders. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, mechanical, aerospace engineering, or a related discipline. 
• First-principles driven approach to engineering and problem solving backed by ability to scale analytical rigor to meet program risk levels and maturity. 
• 5+ years of experience in space production, developmental production, or high-precision production on complex systems. 
• Mastered use of production processes, tools, and practices including Manufacturing Resource Planning, Product Lifecycle Management, and Manufacturing Execution System application systems, and the integration of automation components across these systems. 
• Experience with shop tool design, development, and implementation as well as standard industrial tool and equipment implementation in production. 
• Proven track record in producing complex components and assemblies in developmental and high-rate production including electrical, mechanical, and fluids systems. 
• Strong expertise in lean manufacturing principles and rapid prototyping methodologies. 
• Experience with space-grade and ESD sensitive component and assembly production. 
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage and maintain production facilities including production lines, subassembly build areas, and clean rooms.  

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in manufacturing, mechanical, aerospace engineering or equivalent discipline. 
• Experience with CNC, additive manufacturing, tube production and processing, structural and tube welding, and other industrial production equipment. 
• Extensive experience with tooling, ground support equipment, and electrical ground support equipment design, development, and implementation in production and test. 
• Active DoD clearance or ability to obtain one. 

COMPENSATION

• Base Salary: $115,000 - 160,000

• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave 

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work Location—Successful candidates will be located near Long Beach, CA. While we observe a hybrid work environment, some work must be done on site.
• Work environment—the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
• Physical demands—the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.

This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below. #LI-Onsite