Manufacturing Engineer, Machining & Additive Associate (Winter 2027)

Astranis Space Technologies Corp.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 78,000 - 97,000; Full time

Job summary

Astranis Space Technologies Corp. is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer, Machining Associate (Winter 2027) to own the full lifecycle of machined and additive components for space hardware.

You will collaborate with mechanical engineering, drive DFM/Tolerance stackups, develop production processes, tooling, and inspection procedures on the factory floor. The role blends hands-on machining with high-level process ownership, applying GD&T, 5-axis CNC, LPBF metal/additive systems, and written work

Qualifications

• Bachelor's of Science in Mechanical, Aerospace, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• Hands-on machining experience with manual or CNC.
• Proficiency in CAD software (SolidWorks, Creo, NX).
• Experience with CAM software (Fusion, Esprit, Siemens NX, Magics, or similar).
• Fundamentals of GD&T and engineering drawings.
• Must be onsite 5 days a week.

Responsibilities

• Design and build the factory that builds satellites.
• Grow and improve manufacturing processes.
• Implement lean systems for continuous improvement.
• Own 5S activities in machining and additive manufacturing spaces.
• Work with design engineering teams to drive DFM, including tolerance stackup analysis.
• Develop and qualify manufacturing and inspection processes.
• Operate and develop in-house additive manufacturing capabilities (LPBF).
• Write work instructions, work order templates, process specifications, and other build documents.
• Collaborate with supplier quality and contract manufacturers to develop their processes.
• Troubleshoot non-conformances on the floor and drive corrective actions.
• Assist in machining and programming operations for R&D and production.
• Assist in designing and creating fixturing for production.

Skills

Machining experience

GD&T fundamentals

Engineering drawings

On-site work

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks / Creo / NX

CAM software (Fusion, Esprit, Siemens NX, Magics)

CMM inspection

Job description

Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity's reach into the solar system. Today Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe - large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military.

With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts. Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization.

Astranis has raised over $1.2 billion from some of the world's best investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Baillie Gifford, Blackrock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, and Snowpoint, and employs a team of 500 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.

Manufacturing Engineer, Machining Associate (Winter 2027)

This role is perfect for someone who thrives at the intersection of hands-on machining and high-level process ownership creating complex, precision hardware for space.

As an Associate, you will have an amazing opportunity to work on hard problems - we pride ourselves on giving everyone at Astranis a chance to do meaningful work on challenging projects, no matter their seniority. Many past Interns and Associates have designed and tested hardware/software that is heading to space on our first satellite, and many of them are now full-time employees at Astranis.

The Manufacturing Engineer focused on machining owns the entire lifecycle of our machined and additively manufactured components - from working closely with the mechanical engineering team to ensure parts are designed for manufacturability to developing production processes, tooling, and inspection procedures on the factory floor. The Manufacturing Engineer is a highly cross‑functional role requiring both technical and hands on skills to bridge the gap between design and production.

A successful candidate will apply knowledge of GD&T, 5axis CNC machining, additive manufacturing, and CMM inspection to solve difficult problems in real time and drive improvements that directly impact our ability to get to space faster.

Role

• Design and build the factory that builds satellites.
• Grow and improve
• Design and implement lean systems for continuous improvement.
• Own 5S activities throughout the machine shop and additive manufacturing spaces.
• Work with design engineering teams to drive Design for Manufacturing (DFM), including participating in design reviews and assisting in tolerance stackup analysis.
• Develop and qualify manufacturing and inspection processes, including performing process validation, documenting procedures, and supporting processes in production.
• Operate, maintain, and develop processes for our in‑house additive manufacturing capabilities, including Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) metal and advanced polymer printing systems.
• Write work instructions, work order templates, process specifications, and other build documents.
• Work with supplier quality and contract manufacturers, to develop their manufacturing and quality processes and respond to questions and issues.
• Troubleshoot non‑conformances on the floor to determine a disposition, root cause, and drive corrective actions.
• Assist in machining and programming operations as required for R&D and production.
• Assist in designing and creating fixturing for production.

Requirements

• Currently hold a Bachelor's of science in Mechanical, Aerospace, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• Hands on experience making something cool such as cars, robots, etc.
• Hands on experience machining parts, either manual or CNC.
• Proficiency in CAD software (Solidworks, Creo, NX, etc.)
• Experience with CAM software (Fusion, Esprit, Siemens NX, Magics, or similar).
• Competent in fundamentals of GD&T and engineering drawings.
• Must be onsite 5 days a week.

Bonus

• Hands on experience working as a Machinist programming and running 5‑axis parts.
• Exposure to or hands‑on experience with additive manufacturing technologies, specifically metal LPBF and/or advanced polymer printing.
• Experience in writing technical documents.
• Knowledge of different manufacturing process and their general quality capability.
• Mechanical design experience including creating solid models and prints.
• Hands‑on experience reading and interpreting first article inspection reports, using precision hand tools, and implementing tolerance stackup analysis on parts.
• Experience implementing MES/ MRP systems in a production environment.

The base salary for this position is $1,925 per week.

U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required

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

Our mission and products are built for everyone, regardless of gender, race, creed, or background. We believe in a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we invite all people to join our team and bring their unique perspectives to make us stronger.