Manufacturing Engineer - Spacecraft Production

Manufacturing Engineer - Stand Up Production for a New Class of Modular Spacecraft

Golden, CO | On-site

Opportunity Summary

A seed-stage space startup is moving its modular spacecraft from demonstration hardware into repeatable production, and it needs an engineer who can build the manufacturing system that gets flight hardware out the door. The company has already flown its core technology and is now scaling to larger vehicles out of a new Colorado facility.

As one of the first hires on the manufacturing and test team, you will write the build instructions, run the production floor, own nonconformance, and push design teams toward hardware that is easier and faster to build. This role sets the processes the company will scale on, so your decisions will stick.

About Us

We are a venture-backed space technology startup in Golden, Colorado building modular spacecraft that launch as compact units and join together in orbit to form larger, more capable vehicles. The core technology has already flown in multiple on-orbit and microgravity demonstrations, and a newly outfitted facility is supporting the move toward larger hardware and a free-flying demonstration. The team is small and senior, with engineers who have shipped hardware at leading launch, satellite, and defense companies, and every engineer owns a real piece of the vehicle.

Job Duties

• Author assembly and build instructions for spacecraft hardware inside the manufacturing execution system
• Support day-to-day production, including kitting and assembly of spacecraft components and subsystems
• Own nonconformance reporting, run investigations to root cause, and drive corrective actions to closure
• Manage calibration and upkeep of ground support equipment and production tooling
• Serve as the go-to engineering resource for technicians during builds
• Find and implement improvements that raise throughput, quality, and repeatability
• Work with design engineers early to shape parts and assemblies for manufacturability
• Help define production workflows, traceability, and documentation standards as the program scales

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in manufacturing, industrial, mechanical, or electrical engineering, or a related field
• Hands-on experience building, assembling, or supporting production of complex hardware
• Working knowledge of PLM and MES tools
• Strong written and verbal communication with technicians, designers, and leadership
• Comfortable working on the floor and moving quickly in a small, fast-paced team
• U.S. person status (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee) required under ITAR

Preferred Experience

• Experience building spacecraft, satellite, or other flight hardware
• Familiarity with AS9100 or similar aerospace quality systems
• Experience standing up production processes at a startup
• Hands-on ownership of NCR and corrective action workflows
• 5+ years of experience for senior-level consideration

Why Join Us

• Be one of the first engineers on the manufacturing and test team and set how production is done
• See the hardware you help build fly in space
• Work directly alongside design, avionics, and test engineers with no layers in between
• Early-employee stock options with meaningful upside as the platform moves toward operational missions
• Fast growth on a small team, where engineers who deliver take on broader ownership quickly
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Short- and long-term disability insurance and life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Three weeks of paid vacation and 10 or more paid holidays annually

Compensation Details

$95,000 - $135,000 + equity

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Applicants must be U.S. persons (U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees) or eligible to obtain the required U.S. Department of State authorization.

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