Prototype Manufacturing Program Lead – Aerospace

Stratolaunch; Mojave (CA); On-site; USD 134,000 - 159,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare (medical, dental, vision)

Paid Maternity and Parental Leave

401(k) with company match

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Stratolaunch is seeking a Staff Program Manager – Manufacturing to lead prototype manufacturing for low-rate developmental production (1–2 units per year) at Mojave, CA. You will coordinate across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and test to deliver hardware on schedule while meeting stringent technical requirements.

The role emphasizes leadership, risk management, and effective collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to ensure producible, well-documented builds and

Qualifications

• Experience in aerospace or defense program management, manufacturing, or development environments.
• Demonstrated success leading prototype or early development manufacturing efforts.
• Experience managing low-rate builds (1–2 units per year) or similar small-batch, high-complexity manufacturing.
• Strong technical background (engineering degree or equivalent).
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage complex hardware builds with evolving scope.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the program lead for prototype manufacturing activities across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and test.
• Drive strong communication and alignment across technical, operational, and programmatic stakeholders.
• Mentor junior program staff and contribute to improving prototype build processes and organizational best practices.
• Develop and maintain the integrated prototype build plan, incorporating scope, configuration requirements, and cross-functional inputs; manage program-level cost, schedule, risk, and delivery impacts resulting from changing technical inputs.
• Coordinate manufacturing readiness efforts for developmental systems, including tooling, work instructions, configuration management, and build sequencing.
• Integrate cross-functional readiness inputs for developmental builds into the prototype build plan; track associated actions, risks, dependencies, milestones, and program impacts.
• Integrate functional improvement plans and prototype-build lessons learned into the program plan to inform future builds, reduce program schedule risk, and support maturation of critical build processes.
• Lead resolution of prototype manufacturing challenges, including supply‑chain constraints, integration issues, and late‑stage engineering changes.

Skills

Aerospace program mgmt

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Technical Management

Tools

EVMS

CDRL

Job description

Stratolaunch is seeking a Staff Program Manager – Manufacturing to lead prototype manufacturing for low-rate developmental production (1–2 units per year) at Mojave, CA. You will coordinate across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and test to deliver hardware on schedule while meeting stringent technical requirements.

The role emphasizes leadership, risk management, and effective collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to ensure producible, well-documented builds and