Spacecraft Build Reliability & Configuration Engineer (San Jose California)

Astro Digital; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Astro Digital is seeking a Build Reliability & Configuration Engineer to bring order to rapid hardware prototyping and ensure 100% configuration accuracy from CAD to launch. You will own PLM/ERP integration and drive cradle-to-grave traceability for critical components.

Lead ECO processes on the floor and automate workflow guardrails with our ERP/PLM systems. Collaborate with technicians and design engineers to ensure manufacturability and capture production feedback instantly.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Industrial Engineering.
• 3+ years in a Configuration Management or Manufacturing Engineering role within a high-rate, high-stakes environment (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Tesla, or similar).
• Expert-level understanding of Bills of Materials (BOMs) and PLM/ERP systems.

Responsibilities

• Architect the Source of Truth: Own PLM system and factory integration; ensure as-designed and as-built stay in sync.
• Kill Bureaucracy: automate or delete steps that don’t add value to hardware or safety.
• Lead Configuration Control: manage ECO flow to accelerate hardware iterations.
• Hardware Traceability: design cradle-to-grave traceability for flight-critical components.
• Bridge the Gap: work on the floor with technicians and design engineers; ensure manufacturability and rapid feedback.
• Develop Automated Guardrails: build guardrails into ERP/PLM to prevent errors.

Skills

PLM/ERP

BOMs

Schematics

3D CAD

Python/SQL

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Industrial Engineering

Tools

Teamcenter

Windchill

ERP systems

Job description

Build Reliability & Configuration Engineer

The Mission

At Astro digital, we are moving fast to build the future of Space We don't believe in "process for the sake of process." We believe in the Machine that builds the Machine.

We are looking for a Build Reliability & Configuration Engineer who thrives in the chaos of rapid prototyping and has the scars to prove they can bring order to it. You won't just be managing data; you will be the architect of the workflows that allow our hardware to move from a CAD model to the launchpad without a single wasted second. Your goal is simple: ensure 100% configuration accuracy while aggressively deleting every piece of "process drag" that stands in our way.

Responsibilities

• Architect the Source of Truth: Own the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system and its integration with the factory floor. Ensure that "as-designed" and "as-built" are never out of sync.
• Kill Bureaucracy: Evaluate every engineering workflow and SOP. If a step doesn't add value to the hardware or safety, your job is to automate it or delete it.
• Lead Configuration Control: Own the Change Control Board (CCB) process. You aren't a gatekeeper; you are an accelerator. You must ensure Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) move through the system at the speed of our hardware iterations.
• Hardware Traceability: Design and implement the "cradle-to-grave" traceability for flight-critical components. You should know exactly which bolt went into which assembly and why.
• Bridge the Gap: Work directly on the floor with technicians and design engineers. You are the "connective tissue" ensuring that design intent is manufacturable and that production feedback is instantly captured in our configuration.
• Develop Automated Guardrails: Instead of writing 50-page manuals, you will work with our software team to build "guardrails" into our ERP/PLM systems that prevent errors before they happen.

Basic Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Industrial Engineering.
• Experience: 3+ years in a Configuration Management or Manufacturing Engineering role within a high-rate, high-stakes environment (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Tesla, or similar).
• Technical Mastery: Deep experience with PLM/ERP systems (e.g., Teamcenter, Windchill, or proprietary high-speed systems) and an expert-level understanding of Bills of Materials (BOMs).

Preferred Skills & Experience

• The "First Principles" Mindset: You don't do things because "that's how we've always done it." You do them because they are the most efficient way to achieve the mission.
• NPI (New Product Introduction): Experience taking a complex hardware product from a clean sheet to a finished build.
• Technical Fluency: Ability to read complex wiring schematics, and 3D CAD models. You should be able to spot a configuration error just by looking at the documentation.
• Coding/Automation: Basic proficiency in SQL, Python, or PowerBI to automate data reporting and configuration audits is a massive plus.
• Scrappy Execution: You would rather build a temporary tool to fix a process today than plan a "perfect" system for next year.

Why Join Us?

You will have more ownership here than at any "Old Space" company. There is no red tape to hide behind. You will see your processes directly impact the flight-readiness of our vehicles. If you want to build the infrastructure of a world-class engineering team from the ground up, let’s get to work.