Manager, PCBA SMT Production (Starlink)

United States Digital Space LLC; Bastrop (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC in Bastrop, TX, seeks a Manager, PCBA SMT Production (Starlink) to build and lead a new production organization. You will establish standards, hire and develop a team, and partner with engineering to bring production lines to rate in a startup environment.

The ideal candidate has engineering/ STEM background with 3+ years in leadership and 2+ years in production operations, and a proven ability to scale manufacturing while improving safety, quality, and lead times.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or STEM discipline; OR 4+ years of professional leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
• 3+ years of production operations or process development experience.
• 2+ years of experience in a leadership position.

Responsibilities

• Manage a team of supervisors, technicians, and production associates on a multi-shift schedule.
• Ensure a strong focus on safety and maintain an excellent safety record.
• Identify, recruit, and develop leadership and individual contributor talent.
• Develop onboarding and training material.
• Implement a development program to enhance the capability of all team members with a focus on manufacturing outputs, while improving quality and reducing lead time and cost.
• Establish operational standards and hold accountability to those standards.
• Partner with engineering teams on the startup and optimization of production equipment.
• Champion continuous improvement projects using relevant metrics and data sources.
• Ensure root causes for quality issues are identified and appropriate improvement actions are put in place.
• Monitor and communicate area status and risks to leadership.
• Foster a spirit of collaboration within and between departments.

Skills

Leadership

Production operations

Process development

Lean manufacturing

Education

Engineering or STEM degree

Technical discipline degree

Tools

SMT soldering processes

PCBA manufacturing

Wafer fabrication

Job description

the company was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today the company is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal ofenabling human life on Mars.

MANAGER, PCBA SMT PRODUCTION (STARLINK)

the company is developing a low-latency, broadband internet system to meet the needs of people around the world. Enabled by a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites, Starlink will provide fast, reliable internet to populations with little or no connectivity, including those in rural communities and places where existing services are too expensive or unreliable. To enable our goal of “Connecting the Unconnected,” the company is ramping up production of our User Terminal Kit manufacturing facility in Bastrop, Texas (Greater Austin), which will bring hundreds of high-skill manufacturing jobs to the area.

the company is also leveraging its experience deploying and operating the world’s largest satellite constellation to develop Starmind, a new constellation of satellites capturing solar energy in space to power low-cost, high-performance AI compute for Earth.

We are looking for a hard-driving and well-rounded leader, capable of taking charge of a broad array of responsibilities associated with developing and growing a new production organization. You will be responsible for building out the production team that will operate and maintain this equipment. You will be responsible for establishing the standards by which this team operates, and shepherding the program from the startup phase into a disciplined production organization. This individual must have the capability to rapidly become a subject matter expert on multiple complex production operations. You must be capable of operating successfully within a chaotic startup environment while identifying and executing on actions needed to ensure mission success.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage a team of supervisors, technicians, and production associates on a multi-shift schedule
• Ensure a strong focus is placed on safety and maintain an excellent safety record
• Identify, recruit, and develop leadership and individual contributor talent
• Develop onboarding and training material
• Implement a development program to enhance the capability of all team members with a focus on manufacturing outputs, while improving quality and reducing lead time and cost
• Establish operational standards and hold accountability to those standards
• Partner with engineering teams on the startup and optimization of production equipment
• Champion continuous improvement projects using relevant metrics and data sources
• Ensure root causes for quality issues are identified and appropriate improvement actions are put in place
• Monitor and communicate area status and risks to leadership
• Foster a spirit of collaboration within and between departments

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or STEM discipline; OR 4+ years of professional leadership experience in a manufacturing environment
• 3+ years of production operations or process development experience
• 2+ years of experience in a leadership position

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or technical discipline
• Experience building out a multidisciplinary production organization
• Experience leading multi-level production operations teams with 50+ members
• Experience standing up a new production line and bringing it to rate
• Experience with automated assembly manufacturing processes
• Experience in related fields such as electrical or mechanical assembly and test, SMT soldering processes, PCBA manufacturing, wafer fabrication, silicon packaging, battery or chemical manufacturing
• Experience with applying lean manufacturing principles
• Ability to adapt to constantly changing work environment

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed
• Must be able to lift 25 lbs. unassisted
• Able to travel up to 10% on an ongoing basis

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

the company is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with the company 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.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of the company’s Affir... or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out [e-mail]*.*