Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company bringing the benefits of space to the masses through advanced communications technology. We are building a global network of phased array ground stations that enable real-time, reliable communication for satellite missions such as national security, global connectivity, and disaster response. With a vertically integrated approach, Northwood designs, builds, and rapidly deploys scalable systems that power the next generation of space missions. If you like solving complex challenges and seeing your work deployed around the world with real impact, Northwood is the place to do it.
The Role:
Northwood is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer (Machining) to help stand up and scale our in-house machining capability for high-performance hardware used in our satellite communications ground stations.
This role combines hands-on machining/CAM with strategic capability build-out—you’ll own the end-to-end effort from selecting and purchasing CNC equipment to designing the shop layout, building robust fixturing, programming parts, training operators, and driving continuous improvement on quality, cost, and lead time.
Responsibilities:
Own the roadmap to establish and scale an internal machine shop: capability definition, machine selection, procurement, and commissioning.
Source, evaluate, and purchase CNC machines and supporting equipment (workholding, tooling, metrology, material handling), balancing floor space, budget, throughput, and scalability.
Coordinate machine delivery, rigging, utilities, installation, acceptance testing, and ongoing maintenance strategy.
Design the machine shop layout, workflows, and safety/operational standards (material flow, tool control, inspection flow, chip/coolant management).
Design and validate machining fixtures and workholding for repeatability, speed, and part quality.
Create, own, and maintain CAM programs and machining documentation: setups, tool lists, inspection plans, and standardized work.
Run machines as needed to unblock development/production and to prove out new processes and programs.
Train operators and establish operator-facing work instructions, troubleshooting guides, and escalation paths.
Drive continuous improvement (yield, cycle time, scrap reduction, process capability), including root-cause investigations and corrective actions.
Partner closely with design engineering on DFM, tolerancing strategy, inspection strategy, and make/buy decisions for machined components.
Basic Qualifications:
4–6+ years of experience working with machined components in a manufacturing engineering, CNC programming, CNC machining, or closely related role.
Demonstrated experience with fixture/workholding design and bringing repeatable machining processes into production.
Strong CAM programming experience (e.g., Fusion, Mastercam, NX CAM, etc.) and practical understanding of feeds/speeds, tooling, and setup strategy.
Comfortable operating in a hands-on environment: proving out programs on the floor, debugging issues, and iterating quickly.
Strong communication skills and ability to coordinate vendors/contractors and cross-functional stakeholders.
Preferred Skills:
Experience selecting and commissioning CNC equipment (mills/lathes; 3/4/5-axis), including acceptance criteria and ramp plans.
Proficiency in CAD for fixturing and tooling design (e.g., Siemens NX or similar).
Experience with GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and inspection/metrology planning (CMM, probing, etc.).
Experience developing standardized work, work instructions, and training programs.
#LI-DNI
Additional Information:
If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Northwood Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Northwood Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Skills Required
- 4-6+ years working with machined components in manufacturing engineering, CNC programming, or CNC machining
- Demonstrated experience with fixture and workholding design for repeatable production
- Strong CAM programming experience (e.g., Fusion, Mastercam, NX CAM) and feeds/speeds, tooling, setup strategy knowledge
- Comfortable operating hands-on: proving out programs on the floor, debugging issues, and iterating quickly
- Strong communication skills; ability to coordinate vendors, contractors, and cross-functional stakeholders
- Experience selecting and commissioning CNC equipment (mills/lathes; 3/4/5-axis), including acceptance criteria and ramp plans
- Proficiency in CAD for fixturing and tooling design (e.g., Siemens NX or similar)
- Experience with GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and inspection/metrology planning (CMM, probing, etc.)
- Experience developing standardized work, work instructions, and training programs
Northwood Space Corp Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northwood Space Corp and has not been reviewed or approved by Northwood Space Corp.
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Healthcare Strength — Job postings consistently cite “comprehensive” or “platinum” medical, dental, and vision coverage, with some roles indicating employer-covered premiums at little to no cost. Several listings explicitly reference fully covered plans.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Multiple listings consistently mention equity or stock options alongside base pay, with some noting potential performance bonuses. Equity is presented as a standard component across many roles.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Listings cite flexible or unlimited PTO, and some specify a defined paid holiday calendar (e.g., about 10 holidays). Time-off provisions are repeatedly referenced across postings.
Northwood Space Corp Insights
What We Do
The space segment has become critical infrastructure. It powers everything from GPS and climate monitoring to missile warning and global broadband. But the ground segment hasn’t kept up. Most ground networks today were designed for science missions, not for the scale, urgency, or diversity of today’s space economy. At Northwood, we’re building a global, software-defined ground network from the ground up — designed to scale as fast as the missions it supports.
Why Work With Us
Just like cloud infrastructure transformed software development, we believe shared ground infrastructure will transform space operations. We’re making it possible for any operator to move space-based data quickly, securely, and reliably back to Earth.
