Operations Engineer (Mid to Senior)

Astrolab; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership in the company

Comprehensive health benefits

401(k) plan with company match

Flexible PTO

Weekly on-site meals and snacks

Job summary

Astrolab, The Lunar Operations Company, seeks an experienced Operations Engineer (Mid to Senior) in Hawthorne, CA, to ensure our manufacturing facility meets the highest standards of Quality and Reliability. You will own MES, drive site-wide rollout, and partner with multiple teams to optimize workflows.

Reporting to the Director of Quality & Reliability, you will coach teams on data-driven decisions and continuous improvement, shaping the manufacturing data ecosystem for lunar hardware

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field.
• 5+ years in Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering or Data Analytics.
• Experience with ERP, MES, PLM, and manufacturing data systems.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary MES owner for the facility: manage user feedback, prioritize enhancements, update work instructions/SOPs, and train teams to increase system adoption and data accuracy
• Develop, maintain, and enhance the MES, including leading the site-wide rollout, configuration, and user adoption
• Create solutions and system enhancements that simplify MES usage and improve integration with existing Operations processes
• Partner with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, engineering, and leadership teams to identify friction points in the MES and prioritize improvements
• Drive continual process improvement activities focused on MES-enabled workflows
• Analyze production workflows, labor utilization, equipment performance, and material flow to identify opportunities for optimization
• Build organizational capability by coaching teams on data-driven decision making and continuous improvement principles

Skills

Data analytics

Process improvement

Analytical thinking

Data visualization

SQL

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Tools

ERP systems

MES

PLM

SQL

Power BI

Job description

Compensation: $120,000 - $200,000 / year

Department: Manufacturing Engineering

Location: Hawthorne, California

Compensation: $120,000 - $200,000 / year

Description

Astrolab is The Lunar Operations Company. We design and build the systems and hardware the lunar economy will come to depend on — rovers, power, and data networks for sustained operations on the Moon. We are focused on the problems that must be solved before the next chapter of human exploration can scale. The Moon does not forgive untested assumptions. The people who work here know that, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

We are seeking a meticulous and experienced Operations Engineer (Mid to Senior) to join our dynamic team. The role involves ensuring that our manufacturing facility is meeting the highest standards of Quality and Reliability. The Operations Engineer will be key in rolling out the manufacturing executions system (MES) and making improvements to make the process easier for all departments within operations. This role will report to the Director of Quality & Reliability.

What you'll do:

• Serve as the primary MES owner for the facility: manage user feedback, prioritize enhancements, update work instructions/SOPs, and train teams to increase system adoption and data accuracy
• Develop, maintain, and enhance the manufacturing execution system (MES), including leading the site-wide rollout, configuration, and user adoption
• Create solutions and system enhancements that simplify MES usage and improve integration with existing Operations processes
• Partner with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, engineering, and leadership teams to identify friction points in the MES and prioritize improvements
• Drive continual process improvement activities focused on MES-enabled workflows
• Analyze production workflows, labor utilization, equipment performance, and material flow to identify opportunities for optimization
• Build organizational capability by coaching teams on data-driven decision making and continuous improvement principles

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) field.
• 5+ years of experience in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or Data Analytics role.
• Experience with ERP, MES, PLM, and manufacturing data systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Manufacturo or other MES rollouts
• Advanced proficiency in SQL, Power BI, and data visualization best practices
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong attention to detail and ability to identify and resolve quality issues
• Ability to simplify complex data and communicate insights to all organizational levels
• Experience in aerospace, space, defense, or other highly regulated manufacturing industries
• Experience using statistical analysis software (e.g., Minitab, JMP)
• Experience using process improvement methodologies and tools such as Six Sigma, Lean, FMEA, and Statistical Process Control (SPC)

Benefits and Perks

• Join a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration
• Equity ownership in the company
• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health support
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Flexible PTO and parental leave
• Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site
• Once a month social hour on-site with food and drinks