Manager, Composites Manufacturing

Impulsespace; Redondo Beach (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Impulse Space is seeking a Composites Manufacturing Manager in Redondo Beach to lead and mentor engineers and technicians across two shifts. You will drive manufacturability, DFM compliance, and reliable production for aerospace hardware, coordinating with design, quality, and other disciplines.

The role emphasizes process development, high technical standards, and continuous improvement. The position requires a Bachelor’s in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering, 5+ years in aerospace

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years professional experience manufacturing structural aerospace hardware.
• Experience managing and growing a team.
• Desire to improve team processes and train other team members.
• Ability to communicate technical challenges, explain rationale and/or resolve concerns.

Responsibilities

• Hire and mentor composites manufacturing engineers and technicians
• Collaborate with design engineers and quality teams to ensure manufacturability, DFM compliance, and long-term reliability
• Set daily and weekly production targets, backed by performance metrics
• Provide day-to-day support for the production floor, resolving build issues, updating work instructions, and improving yields
• Develop, document, and optimize manufacturing processes for hardware, including lamination, bonding, curing, mechanical assembly, and hardware integration
• Develop new production processes for unique composites applications, such as high-temperature composites, and weight-saving COPV technologies Establish and maintain high technical standards through specifications and training
• Setup equipment maintenance plans, and take actions to improve robustness, reliability, and reduce downtime

Skills

Team leadership

Technical communication

Manufacturing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering

Job description

Manager, Composites Manufacturing

Department: Manufacturing

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Redondo Beach

Compensation: $175,000 - $195,000 / year

Description

As the Composites Manufacturing Manager at Impulse, you will hire, manage, and mentor composites manufacturing engineers and technicians across two shifts to support hardware builds for Impulse's composite structures. You will support activities ranging from lamination, bonding, curing, mechanical assembly, new process development, and hardware integration. You will work directly with leaders and individual contributors in other disciplines. You will have the opportunity to contribute to all aspects of composites development.

Responsibilities

• Hire and mentor composites manufacturing engineers and technicians
• Collaborate with design engineers and quality teams to ensure manufacturability, design for manufacturing (DFM) compliance, and long-term reliability
• Set daily and weekly production targets, backed by performance metrics
• Provide day-to-day support for the production floor, resolving build issues, updating work instructions, and improving yields
• Develop, document, and optimize manufacturing processes for hardware, including lamination, bonding, curing, mechanical assembly, and hardware integration
• Develop new production processes for unique composites applications, such as high-temperature composites, and weight-saving COPV technologies Establish and maintain high technical standards through specifications and training
• Setup equipment maintenance plans, and take actions to improve robustness, reliability, and reduce downtime

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years professional experience manufacturing structural aerospace hardware
• Professional experience managing and growing a team
• Desire to improve team processes and train other team members
• Ability to communicate technical challenges, explain rationale and/or resolve concerns

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of demonstrated experience with composites manufacturing for in-space vehicles
• 2+ years of full lifecycle experience (design, low-rate production, scaled production) with COPV's and COPV liners
• Demonstrated experience managing both exempt and non-exempt employees within a manufacturing environment
• Experience in a startup or agile development environment

Additional Information

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.

Impulse Space's spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card holder), an individual granted asylum in the U.S., or an individual admitted in U.S. refugee status) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Impulse Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Impulse Space 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.