Spacecraft Manufacturing Lead - Process Excellence

Apex Space, Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Healthcare coverage

PTO 15-20 days

401(k) matching

Parental leave

Lunch and snacks

Community events

High-quality workspace

Job summary

Apex Space, Inc. is seeking a Lead Spacecraft Manufacturing Engineer in Los Angeles to lead a team of manufacturing engineers and drive process excellence from prototyping to production.

You will mentor staff, set technical direction, and tackle complex manufacturing challenges with a practical, scalable approach. Ideal candidates have 5+ years in aerospace hardware manufacturing, strong leadership, and a track record of improving quality, efficiency, and cost.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Electrical, or related).
• 5+ years in aerospace or complex hardware manufacturing.
• Proven ability to delegate, drive strategic initiatives, and foster growth.
• Track record of process improvements improving quality, efficiency, or cost.
• Excellent project management and prioritization skills.
• Strong technical communication for cross-functional influence.
• Experience leading root cause investigations and corrective actions.
• Able to operate in fast-paced, hardware-intensive environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of spacecraft manufacturing engineers.
• Design, validate, and optimize manufacturing processes from prototyping to production.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure manufacturability and support new product introductions.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership on tooling, process qualifications, and floor troubleshooting.
• Ensure safety regulations and best practices across manufacturing and integration.
• Stay updated on aerospace manufacturing advances and best practices.
• Provide training and technical guidance to production personnel.

Skills

Leadership

Manufacturing

Project Mgmt

Aerospace

Root Cause Analysis

Cross-functional

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

MES/ERP/MRP

Tooling design

Quality systems

Job description

Apex Space, Inc. is seeking a Lead Spacecraft Manufacturing Engineer in Los Angeles to lead a team of manufacturing engineers and drive process excellence from prototyping to production.

You will mentor staff, set technical direction, and tackle complex manufacturing challenges with a practical, scalable approach. Ideal candidates have 5+ years in aerospace hardware manufacturing, strong leadership, and a track record of improving quality, efficiency, and cost.