Production Manager, Avionics and Electro-Mechanical

k2spacecorporation; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

K2 is seeking a hands-on Production Leader for the Avionics and Electro-Mechanical Production team. The role focuses on building and testing flight hardware (avionics boxes, batteries, mechanisms, harnesses) and delivering flight-ready units for vehicle integration.

You will manage Supervisors and Technicians, drive schedules, improve throughput and yield, maintain records, and collaborate with Engineering to optimize design and test strategies. Equity is offered.

Qualifications

• 4+ years leading large production teams in complex assemblies.
• 8+ years in production in a high-volume, rapid environment in aerospace/defense or complex hardware.
• Direct experience with flight hardware including electro-mechanical assemblies, harnesses, PCBA, Solar, and box-level builds.
• Familiarity with J-STD-001, IPC/WHMA-A-620, ESD control, and flight hardware traceability.
• Track record of improving throughput and yield using data, with MES/ERP experience.
• Excellent conflict resolution and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated success leading from the floor in a fast-moving manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop a team of Supervisors, Leads, and Technicians across avionics, electro-mechanical assembly, harness fabrication, PCBA rework, and tests.
• Own delivery of completed flight hardware to vehicle integration on or ahead of schedule.
• Establish production priorities and drive daily execution, removing constraints across material, tooling, equipment, procedures and resources.
• Drive improvements in first-pass yield, cycle time, rework, throughput, and labor efficiency.
• Ensure production work is executed with configuration control, traceability, and manufacturing records.
• Establish production metrics and tools for visibility into output, quality, constraints, and recovery plans.
• Serve as Production's voice to Engineering Leadership to influence design, test strategy, and scheduling.

Skills

Team leadership

Production management

Conflict resolution

Shop-floor leadership

Data-driven decisions

Tools

WarpDrive MES

First Resonance ION

Job description

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by over $1 billion in total funding from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, ICONIQ, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Redpoint Ventures, and T. Rowe Price - and with over $1 billion in signed contracts across commercial and US government customers, we're mass-producing the highest-power satellite platforms ever built for missions from LEO to deep space.

The rise of heavy-lift launch vehicles is shifting the industry from an era of mass constraint to one of mass abundance, and we believe this new era demands a fundamentally different class of spacecraft. Engineered to survive the harshest radiation environments and to fully capitalize on today's and tomorrow's massive rockets, K2 satellites deliver unmatched capability at constellation scale and across multiple orbits.

With multiple launches in 2027 and plans to scale to 100 satellites a year, we're Building Bigger - helping develop the solar system and build toward a Kardashev Type II (K2) civilization. If you are a motivated individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and you're excited about contributing to the success of a high-growth Series D-funded company, we'd love for you to apply.

The Role

This is a hands-on leadership role - deep in the technical trenches with our team. The Avionics and Electro-Mechanical Production team builds and tests the flight hardware that powers, controls, and enables our spacecraft. This includes avionics boxes, batteries, mechanisms and actuators, flight harnesses, as well as the acceptance testing required to deliver flight-ready hardware to vehicle integration.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop a talented team of Supervisors, Leads, and Technicians across multiple work centers including avionics, electro-mechanical assembly, harness fabrication, PCBA rework, and component acceptance testing
• Own delivery of completed flight hardware to vehicle integration, ensuring hardware is built, tested, accepted, and delivered on or ahead of schedule
• Establish clear production priorities and drive daily execution against build and test schedules, proactively removing constraints across material, tooling, equipment, procedures, and resources
• Drive improvements in first-pass yield, cycle time, rework, throughput, and labor efficiency
• Ensure production work is executed with complete configuration control, traceability, and manufacturing records
• Establish effective production metrics and tools that provide visibility into output, quality, constraints, and recovery plans
• Serve as Production's voice to Engineering Leadership, influencing design, test strategy, and schedule decisions so hardware is built right the first time and delivered at rate

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience managing large production teams throughout the development, manufacturing, and build processes for complex assemblies
• 8+ years of experience in production in a high volume, rapid environment in aerospace, defense, or complex hardware manufacturing industries
• Direct experience with flight hardware including electro-mechanical assemblies, harnesses, PCBA, Solar, and box-level builds
• Familiarity with J-STD-001, IPC/WHMA-A-620, ESD control, and flight hardware traceability
• Track record of improving throughput and yield using data, with experience in MES or ERP-driven production
• Excellent conflict resolution and negotiation skills
• Demonstrated success leading from the floor in a fast-moving manufacturing environment

Nice to Have

• Experience scaling spacecraft or satellite production from low rate to high rate
• Experience with MES (WarpDrive, First Resonance ION or similar modern MES)
• Background in capacity modeling, line design, and capital equipment justification

Additional Requirements

• Must be able to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to support critical production and test milestones
• Must be comfortable spending significant time in manufacturing, cleanroom, laboratory, and test environments
• Must be able to travel occasionally to suppliers, test facilities, or other company locations as required

Compensation and Benefits:

Base salary range for this role is $150,000 - $190,000 + equity in the company

Salary and level will