Lead Manufacturing Engineer

Loft Orbital; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 335,000 - 614,000; Full time

Job summary

Loft Orbital is seeking a Lead Manufacturing Engineer to provide technical leadership for the development, validation, and sustainment of manufacturing processes, tooling, fixtures, and MGSE supporting spacecraft assembly, integration, and test (AIT).

The role ensures manufacturing readiness before hardware enters production while balancing quality, schedule, cost, safety, and scalability; mentors junior engineers and drives DFx initiatives in a collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing Engineering or related field.
• Experience leading technical engineering teams or manufacturing development activities.
• Knowledge of DfM, DfA, and DfX principles.
• Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma experience.
• Aerospace manufacturing or satellite AIT experience is preferred.
• Proficiency with CAD tools such as SolidWorks, NX, CATIA, Creo or AutoCAD.
• Familiarity with aerospace standards (NASA, ECSS, ISO, MIL-STD, IPC, J-STD).
• Experience designing or supporting MGSE, tooling, fixtures, and Test/EGSE.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and support Manufacturing CAD & Development Engineers.
• Assign and prioritize engineering activities to meet milestones.
• Promote engineering best practices and knowledge sharing.
• Support technical reviews and guide engineering decisions.
• Develop and standardize manufacturing processes and documentation.
• Apply DfX to improve manufacturability and efficiency.
• Define manufacturing strategies for production scalability and quality.
• Lead design, development, validation, and lifecycle management of tooling, fixtures, MGSE.
• Coordinate fabrication, procurement, and qualification of tooling.
• Lead manufacturing readiness activities for new products and programs.
• Identify risks and implement mitigation; support MRRs and readiness assessments.
• Lead root cause investigations and CAPA; drive continuous improvement.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Design, AIT, Quality, Supply Chain, Production, and PM.

Skills

Team leadership

Lean Six Sigma

DFx/DFM/DFX

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Aerospace manufacturing

Root cause analysis

Mentorship

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Aerospace/Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Siemens NX

CATIA

Creo

AutoCAD

SolidWorks PDM

Job description

The Lead Manufacturing Engineer provides technical leadership for the development, validation, and sustainment of manufacturing processes, tooling, fixtures, and mechanical ground support equipment (MGSE) supporting spacecraft assembly, integration, and test (AIT). The individual establishes technical direction for manufacturing development activities, ensuring manufacturing solutions meet program requirements while balancing quality, schedule, cost, safety, and scalability. Working closely with Design Engineering, Systems Engineering, Test Engineering, Production, Quality, and Program Management, the role ensures manufacturing readiness is achieved before hardware enters production. Beyond technical execution, the Lead Engineer mentors junior engineers, develops team capability, promotes engineering best practices, and creates a collaborative environment focused on continuous improvement and Design for Excellence (DFX) initiatives.

Roles & Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Lead, mentor, and support Manufacturing CAD & Development Engineers
• Assign and prioritize engineering activities to meet project milestones
• Promote engineering best practices, collaboration, and knowledge sharing
• Support technical reviews and provide guidance on engineering decisions

Manufacturing Technical Leadership

• Develop and standardize manufacturing processes and engineering documentation
• Apply Design for Excellence (DfX) principles to improve manufacturability and production efficiency
• Define manufacturing strategies that support production scalability and product quality
• Ensure manufacturing solutions meet technical, cost, and schedule objectives

Tooling & MGSE Development

• Lead the design, development, validation, and lifecycle management of tooling, fixtures, and Mechanical Ground Support Equipment (MGSE)
• Ensure tooling solutions are production-ready and support assembly, integration, and testing activities
• Coordinate fabrication, procurement, and qualification of manufacturing tooling

Manufacturing Readiness

• Lead manufacturing readiness activities for new products and programs
• Ensure manufacturing processes, tooling, facilities, documentation, and resources are available before production
• Identify manufacturing risks and implement mitigation plans
• Support Manufacturing Readiness Reviews (MRR) and production readiness assessments

Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement

• Lead root cause investigations for manufacturing issues and non-conformances
• Implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA)
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to improve quality, efficiency, safety, and cycle time
• Use manufacturing metrics and data to identify improvement opportunities

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Design Engineering, AIT, Quality, Supply Chain, Production, and Program Management teams
• Support supplier and customer technical discussions related to manufacturing activities
• Ensure manufacturability considerations are incorporated throughout product development
• Contribute to successful program execution from development through production

Must-Have Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline
• Experience leading technical engineering teams or manufacturing development activities
• Experience developing manufacturing processes, work instructions, and production documentation
• Knowledge of Design for Manufacturing (DfM), Design for Assembly (DfA), and Design for Excellence (DfX) principles
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma methodologies
• Experience in satellite Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) or aerospace manufacturing
• Proficiency with one or more CAD platforms such as SolidWorks, SolidWorks PDM, Siemens NX, CATIA, Creo, or AutoCAD
• Knowledge of aerospace and space industry standards such as NASA, ECSS, ISO, MIL-STD, IPC, or J-STD
• Experience designing or supporting MGSE, tooling, fixtures, and Test/EGSE
• Experience performing root cause analysis and troubleshooting manufacturing issues
• Knowledge of machining processes, manufacturing methods, and material selection
• Certification, knowledge, or practical experience working with heavy equipment such as cranes, forklifts, lifting devices, or rigging operations
• Experience working within cross-functional engineering and manufacturing teams

Good-to-Have Qualifications

• Experience leading manufacturing readiness or production readiness reviews
• Experience supporting low-volume to high-volume production transitions
• Knowledge of automation, robotics, or smart manufacturing technologies
• Experience with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems
• Familiarity with ERP and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
• Experience working with external suppliers and contract manufacturers
• Knowledge of additive manufacturing and rapid prototyping technologies
• Project management or technical program leadership experience
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
• Experience working in a fast-paced space or aerospace startup environment
• Familiarity with configuration management and engineering change processes (ECR/ECO/ECN)
• Understanding of risk management methodologies such as FMEA and PFMEA
• Experience with qualification, verification, and validation of manufacturing tooling and equipment

Orbitworks' mission is to make space simple for organizations that want to deploy physical and virtual missions to space. Building on Loft Orbital's heritage, Orbitworks will be the first commercial firm in the United Arab Emirates to mass-manufacture satellites. Orbitworks aims to manufacture tens of satellites annually and operates out of a 50,000-square-foot facility in Abu Dhabi.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.