Head of Spacecraft Manufacturing & Process Optimization

Apex Technology, Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Apex

Health, dental, and vision coverage

PTO 15–20 days + holidays

401(k) with match

8 weeks parental leave

Catered lunch and snacks

Playa Vista office with in-person and

Job summary

Apex Technology, Inc. is seeking a Lead Spacecraft Manufacturing Engineer to head a team of manufacturing engineers and drive process excellence from prototyping to production.

You will mentor staff, set technical direction, and tackle complex manufacturing challenges with practical, scalable solutions in a fast-paced setting. The role requires strong leadership, hands-on problem solving, and collaboration with cross‑functional teams to improve quality, cost, and schedules while maintaining

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Electrical, or related field).
• 5+ years of experience in aerospace or complex hardware manufacturing.
• Strong leadership fundamentals demonstrated via delegation, strategic initiatives from concept to execution, and growth.
• Proven track record of process improvements with gains in quality, efficiency, or cost reduction.
• Excellent project management skills with ability to prioritize multiple initiatives.
• Strong technical communication skills influencing cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Leading root cause and corrective action investigations.
• Ability to operate effectively in fast‑paced, hardware‑intensive environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of spacecraft manufacturing engineers while managing project assignments, performance, and growth.
• Lead initiatives to design, validate, and optimize manufacturing processes for spacecraft from prototyping to production, improving quality, cost, and schedule.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to ensure manufacturability, resolve issues, and support new product introductions.
• Provide hands‑on technical leadership on tooling design, process qualifications, and production floor troubleshooting.
• Ensure safety compliance and best practices throughout manufacturing and integration processes.
• Stay updated with advancements in aerospace manufacturing, assembly, and integration technologies.
• Provide training and technical guidance to production personnel.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Root cause analysis

Mentoring

Manufacturing engineering

Problem solving

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

MES/ERP/MRP systems

Digital production tracking

Job description

Apex Technology, Inc. is seeking a Lead Spacecraft Manufacturing Engineer to head a team of manufacturing engineers and drive process excellence from prototyping to production.

You will mentor staff, set technical direction, and tackle complex manufacturing challenges with practical, scalable solutions in a fast-paced setting. The role requires strong leadership, hands-on problem solving, and collaboration with cross‑functional teams to improve quality, cost, and schedules while maintaining