Industrialization Project Leader

AST SpaceMobile; Midland (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

AST SpaceMobile is seeking an Industrialization Project Leader to drive day-to-day manufacturing feasibility, process changes, and supplier-led equipment projects across global Product and System Engineering teams and the NPI group.

This role emphasizes lean tools on the factory floor to meet production rates and quality targets, while leading supplier qualifications, equipment ramp-up, and technology-transfer initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or equivalent.
• 5+ years in industrialization or manufacturing engineering.
• Experience leading supplier projects and equipment qualification.
• Lean/Six Sigma knowledge; Green Belt preferred.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with global Product and System Engineering teams on industrialization needs.
• Assess manufacturing feasibility and communicate risks before production.
• Lead process changes and document updates on the shop floor.
• Manage supplier qualifications and equipment ramp-up.
• Apply lean tools like VSM, SMED, and line balancing to hit targets.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma Green Belt

Data analysis

Cross-functional teams

Traveling

Education

Bachelor's in Engineering

Tools

Excel

Minitab

JMP

Job description

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected.

Role Summary

The Industrialization Project Leader owns the day-to-day operational execution of industrialization projects, acting as the connective tissue between global Product and System Engineering teams, the NPI team, plant operations, and equipment/tooling suppliers. The role drives manufacturing feasibility work, plant process changes, and supplier-led equipment projects, and uses lean manufacturing methods on the floor to hit production rate and quality targets.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with Product and System Engineering teams across the globe and with the NPI team, ensuring industrialization needs are represented early in design decisions.
• Ensure manufacturing feasibility assessments are properly prepared, documented, and communicated to the relevant stakeholders, flagging risks and constraints before designs are released to production.
• Lead communications with the plant team when defining new process protocols and executing changes, ensuring updates are clearly documented, validated, and adopted on the floor.
• Lead suppliers on scope of work and industrialization plans, ensuring equipment and process improvements are aligned with AST's requirements for safety, quality, and productivity.
• Manage supplier qualifications, equipment build/acceptance, and process ramp-up for outsourcing and technology-transfer projects.
• Act as a key team member in identifying new methods and innovative techniques - including automation, robotics, and digital manufacturing solutions - to make AST products more competitive and reliable.
• Extensively apply lean manufacturing tools (e.g., value stream mapping, standard work, SMED, line balancing) to set priorities and deliver required production rates and quality targets.
• Support capacity modeling, throughput analysis, and factory/line layout design for new and existing production lines.
• Drive root cause analysis and structured problem-solving on process, quality, or throughput issues, using data (Excel, Minitab, JMP, or equivalent) to track cycle time, yield, and performance metrics.
• Coordinate with Quality and EHS to ensure new equipment and process changes meet applicable safety and quality management standards.
• Provide frequent, clear status updates to the Industrialization Manager and cross-functional stakeholders on project timelines, risks, and open actions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in industrial, Manufacturing, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in industrialization, manufacturing engineering, or process engineering, ideally including supplier-facing project work.
• Demonstrated experience leading equipment qualification, process transfer, or ramp-up projects with external suppliers.
• Working knowledge of lean manufacturing and Six Sigma tools; Green Belt certification (or equivalent) preferred.
• Comfortable working with global, cross-functional teams and adjusting to multiple time zones.
• Proficiency with data analysis tools (Excel, Minitab, JMP, or equivalent) for performance and quality metrics.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate between plant-floor teams, suppliers, and engineering stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel to plant and supplier sites as needed.
• Aerospace, satellite, automotive or other regulated-hardware manufacturing background (e.g., AS9100 IATF16949 environment) is a plus.

Related / Equivalent Job Titles in Industry

• Industrialization Engineer
• Industrialization Project Manager
• Manufacturing / Industrial Engineer
• Manufacturing Team Leader
• Manufacturing & Industrialization Group Leader
• Lead Industrialization Engineer
• NPI Engineer / NPI Project Engineer
• Process Engineer, Industrialization

This job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands.

AST SpaceMobile is an Equal Opportunity, at will Employer; employment 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.