Lead Production Technician

Xona; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Xona is seeking a hands-on Lead Production Technician to lead the assembly, test, and integration of spacecraft components on the Burlingame production floor.

As a production team lead, you will train and coordinate technicians, run production stand-ups, enforce safety and 5S/ESD practices, and push quality and build efficiency across engineering, quality, and supply chain.

Qualifications

• Ten-plus years in mechanical or electrical assembly, preferably in space or aerospace industries.
• Five-plus years in a lead role coordinating and coaching a team of technicians.
• Strong teamwork and cross-functional collaboration across production, quality, and engineering.
• Ability to read schematics and mechanical drawings with basic GD&T understanding.
• Proficiency with hand tools, torque tools, PCB test equipment, and lab instruments.
• Comfort with sensitive electronics and small components.

Responsibilities

• Lead production activities to meet schedule and quality standards, and run stand-ups.
• Maintain cleanroom-like environment and proper ESD practices during builds.
• Assemble and integrate satellite components and subsystems per work instructions.
• Support cable routing, thermal insulation, soldering, bonding, and fastener installation.
• Measure, test, and document data as part of the assembly process.
• Maintain equipment, QA benches, and process instructions to improve efficiency.

Skills

Mechanical assembly

Electrical assembly

Team leadership

GD&T basics

Schematic interpretation

IPC-A-610 knowledge

Tools

Multimeters

Oscilloscopes

PCB test equipment

Torque tools

DC power supplies

Soldering equipment

Job description

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

Xona is looking for a Lead Production Technician to support the build, test, and integration of the Xona spacecraft. This is a working, hands-on lead role for an experienced complex assembly and test technician. This production floor leader would help train, support, steer and work alongside other capable production technicians. They will work directly with the production, manufacturing, quality, supply chain and engineering teams in the newly built satellite production facility.

This is a high visibility, high impact role in the production team and will have a critical impact on the company as it progresses into the scale-up of repeatable, high quality, production spacecraft.

What You’ll Do

• Be the go-to production team lead technician, that will coordinate activities to meet schedule, meet quality standards, cross train team members, run production stand-ups and set an overall high standard for production activities through leading by example.


• Adhere to all safety protocols and help maintain a cleanroom-like environment and proper ESD-safe practices during satellite builds


• Assemble and integrate satellite components and subsystems, including electrical harnesses and mechanical structures, following digital work instructions and procedures.


• Support cable routing, thermal insulation application, and other spacecraft-level assembly tasks, such as soldering, bonding, torque-controlled fastener installation, testing, anomaly detection and repair/resolution


• Measure, record, test and document specific data as part of the complex assembly process


• Perform PCB handling, incoming and in-process inspection to IPC-A-610 workmanship criteria, and functional/continuity testing


• Maintain processes and systems for production equipment, 5S/FOD protocols, QA test benches, holding fixtures and personnel driven procedures.


• Assist with optimizing, clarifying and evolving the assembly and integration process instructions to support overall quality and build efficiency.

What You Bring

• 10+ years of hands-on experience with mechanical or electrical assembly, preferably in space, aerospace, defense, robotics, automotive, or electronics industries


• 5+ years in a lead role with demonstrated ability to build, coach, coordinate and communicate with a highly capable team of production technicians.


• High level of teamwork, clear communication and collaboration. Able to work with diverse, talented and multi-disciplinary teams across the company at all levels


• Experience reading and interpreting schematics, mechanical drawings, and assembly instructions with basic GD&T understanding


• Proficiency with hand tools, torque tools, and PCB test/inspection equipment; multimeters, ohmmeters, DC power supplies, oscilloscopes, and other lab test equipment


• Experience operating and running production equipment and machines; environmental chambers, mechanical deployment fixtures, complex lifting equipment, vibration/shock/thermal cycling testing, 3D printers, chamber testing, etc.


• Comfort working with sensitive electronics and small mechanical parts


• Organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment


• Bonus: Current or past certification in IPC-A-610 and/or J-STD-001; IPC/WHMA-A-620 (harnessing)

For U.S. Roles:

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles:

To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles:

Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.