Head of Manufacturing

TRL11, Inc.; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k

Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental &amp

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Job summary

TRL11, Inc. in Irvine, CA seeks a Head of Manufacturing to lead our manufacturing function for camera, avionics, and payload products.

You will balance immediate production needs with continuous improvement, building a disciplined, scalable manufacturing environment while staying close enough to the work to support hands-on production when needed. You will own manufacturing process, manufacturing engineering, clean room operations, scheduling, and quality assurance, ensuring space-grade hardware

Qualifications

• Requires hands-on aerospace production experience and leadership capabilities.
• Experience with MES and inventory management in structured production environments.
• AS9100 knowledge, root-cause/corrective action, traceability and configuration control.

Responsibilities

• Own manufacturing process, manufacturing engineering, clean room operations, work scheduling, and quality assurance.
• Ensure space-grade hardware is produced to high standards and in a workmanlike manner.
• Support implementation and certification to AS9100 standards.
• Ensure personnel are properly trained and equipment is ready for operation.
• Direct production involvement as needed due to small team size.

Skills

Aerospace manufacturing

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Tools

MES

Job description

This is a high-impact leadership role for someone who wants to shape how advanced aerospace hardware gets built. As Head of Manufacturing, you will lead the manufacturing function for our camera, avionics, and payload products, balancing immediate production needs with continuous improvement across the operation. You will work closely with cross-functional partners to build a disciplined, scalable manufacturing environment while staying close enough to the work to support hands-on production when needed.

Responsibilities

• Own the manufacturing process, manufacturing engineering, clean room operations, work scheduling, and quality assurance.
• Ensure space grade hardware is produced in a workmanlike manner.
• Support implementation and certification to AS9100 standards.
• Ensure personnel are properly trained.
• Ensure equipment is ready for operation to support seamless production operations.
• Directly contribute to production from time to time due to the small size of the team.

Required Qualifications

• Prior hands-on production experience in an aerospace setting.
• 7+ years of experience across manufacturing, production, quality, and/or engineering disciplines.
• Experience with MES and inventory management systems, including the ability to work within structured production and material-control environments.
• Experience with AS9100, root‑cause and corrective action, traceability and configuration control, and nonconformance control.
• Experience collaborating with design engineering, quality, supply chain and procurement, executive leadership, program management, and IT.
• Eligible to work in the United States.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field.
• 10+ years of experience across manufacturing, production, quality, and/or engineering disciplines.
• Experience with test and quality assurance, manufacturing engineering, and inventory management.
• Experience implementing or maintaining an MES system.
• Experience working with ISO8 through ISO5 clean rooms.
• Experience working with avionics and electrooptical devices such as cameras, sensors, and optical components; space hardware experience is a plus.
• Manufacturing engineering experience in aerospace, military, defense, or other high‑reliability systems.
• Experience with NIST equipment calibration and inspection of electronics to IPC and J‑STD standards.
• IPC and J‑STD certifications, or prior certification, are a plus.

Benefits

• Fast paced, energetic startup culture, where you'll learn a lot, have great impact, and have fun doing it.
• 401k, Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Unlimited Paid Time Off (with prior approval), for Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays
• Possible Stock Option Plan participation, based on performance and tenure