Manufacturing Director

Impulsespace; Redondo Beach (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

401(k) retirement plan

Health, vision & dental coverage

Job summary

Impulse Space seeks a Manufacturing Director to lead manufacturing engineers, technicians, and leaders responsible for hardware builds across the company’s vehicles. You will oversee mechanical assembly, composites, welding, harnessing, and vehicle integration while partnering with design, quality, and other disciplines.

The role requires building a scalable manufacturing program, setting targets, improving KPI performance, ensuring DFM compliance, and mentoring leaders from leads to managers in

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace engineering or related field.
• 10+ years' of demonstrated hands‑on manufacturing experience.
• 5+ years' of leading high‑performing teams.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive within an ambiguous environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work with cross‑functional departments.

Responsibilities

• Grow team of engineers and technicians to support new programs, products and processes (e.g. components, thrust chambers, turbopumps, tanks, harnessing, tubing, welding, etc.).
• Mature existing programs for the business by developing KPI’s, developing training requirements, and driving hardware reliability initiatives.
• 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.
• Establish and maintain high technical standards through specifications and training.
• Drive the expansion of capabilities and capacity on the shop floor.
• Work hand in hand with supply chain to determine make vs. buy decisions and drive new capabilities internally or offload commodities to external vendors.
• Mentor and develop levels of leadership across the organization (leads, supervisors, managers) to establish lines of defense, and succession plans for the business.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional

Manufacturing operations

Ambiguity navigation

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering

Job description

Manufacturing Director

Department: Manufacturing

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Redondo Beach

Compensation: $200,000 - $230,000 / year

Description

As a Manufacturing Director at Impulse, you will hire, manage, and mentor manufacturing engineers, technicians, and leaders to support hardware builds for Impulse’s vehicles. You will support activities ranging from mechanical assembly, composites, mechanisms, welding, tubes, and/or vehicle integration. You will work directly with leaders and individual contributors in other disciplines. This is an opportunity to contribute to all aspects of vehicle development.

Responsibilities

• Grow team of engineers and technicians to support new programs, products and processes (e.g. components, thrust chambers, turbopumps, tanks, harnessing, tubing, welding, etc.)
• Mature existing programs for the business by developing KPI’s, developing training requirements, and driving hardware reliability initiatives
• 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
• Establish and maintain high technical standards through specifications and training
• Drive the expansion of capabilities and capacity on the shop floor
• Work hand in hand with supply chain to determine make vs. buy decisions and drive new capabilities internally or offload commodities to external vendors
• Mentor and develop levels of leadership across the organization (leads, supervisors, managers) to establish lines of defense, and succession plans for the business

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors' degree in mechanical, aerospace engineering or related field
• 10+ years' of demonstrated hands‑on manufacturing
• 5+ years' of leading high‑performing teams
• Demonstrated ability to thrive within an ambiguous environment
• Demonstrated ability to work with cross‑functional departments

Preferred Skills and Experience

• 12+ years' of hands‑on engineering within an aerospace environment
• 8+ years' of hands‑on manufacturing experience working on spacecraft, satellites, rockets or related hardware
• Demonstrated ability to hire, train & manage engineering teams
• Demonstrated experience with new product introduction
• Demonstrated experience with setting up new manufacturing processes from scratch

Additional Information

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, 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.