Spacecraft Mechanical Production Engineer (Senior-Lead)

True Anomaly; Long Beach (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401K

PTO and paid holidays

Parental Leave

Equity

Job summary

True Anomaly is seeking a Senior/Lead Spacecraft Mechanical Production Engineer to own production engineering strategy and execution for mechanical structures and mechanisms across multiple spacecraft programs. You will build scalable manufacturing processes, lead production engineering teams, and partner with design engineering to drive manufacturability from concept through high‑rate production.

Located near Long Beach, CA, this hybrid role requires hands‑on leadership, AS9100 experience, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, or high-reliability manufacturing.
• Strong communication and collaboration to influence design decisions.
• Experience with PLM, MES, configuration and data management controls and systems.
• Experience working to AS9100 process and standards.
• Hands-on experience with mechanical fabrication, assembly, and testing (drilling, fastening, bonding, CNC, welding, additive, surface treatment).
• Experience building and producing classified hardware in SCIFs or SAP facilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of spacecraft mechanical production engineers, providing technical guidance, production metrics, skill development, and performance management.
• Own the production engineering strategy and execution for mechanical structures and mechanism systems to achieve cost, rate, and quality targets for low and high‑rate production.
• Drive technical reviews with design engineering and ensure manufacturability.
• Set up and scale manufacturing capabilities for developmental programs and rate production.
• Develop documentation and work instructions for assembly, integration, and test of structures and mechanisms.
• Support production on the floor to address bottlenecks, non‑conformances, and issues.
• Drive continuous improvements and corrective actions using production metrics.
• Engage with Supply Chain on vendor qualification, supplier development, and make/buy decisions.
• Oversee calibration and certification of ground support equipment.

Skills

Communication

Collaboration

Cross-functional alignment

Presenting technical information

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering

Tools

PLM

MES

Configuration management

Job description

Spacecraft Mechanical Production Engineer (Senior-Lead)

Long Beach, CA

Mission

True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority by building autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors. Our goal is to enable the U.S. and its Allies to secure the space environment and counter threats from the ultimate high ground.

Values

• Be the offset. We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity.
• What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results.
• It’s the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together.

Role Overview

We are revolutionizing spacecraft systems and are searching for candidates passionate about hands‑on engineering and advancing new technologies in space. As a Senior/Lead Spacecraft Mechanical Production Engineer, you will own production engineering strategy and execution for mechanical structures and mechanism systems across multiple spacecraft programs. You will build scalable manufacturing processes, lead and develop production engineering teams, and partner with design engineering to drive manufacturability from concept through high‑rate production.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of spacecraft mechanical production engineers, providing technical guidance, production metrics, skill development, and performance management.
• Own the production engineering strategy and execution for mechanical structures and mechanism systems to achieve cost, rate, and quality targets for low and high‑rate production.
• Drive technical reviews with design engineering and make critical go/no‑go production engineering decisions to ensure design is manufacturable.
• Own the set‑up and scaling of manufacturing factory capabilities for developmental programs and rate production.
• Develop technical documentation and work instructions for the assembly, integration, and test of structures, mechanisms, deployables, and related ground support equipment and tooling.
• Directly support production on the floor to ensure efficient build of mechanical structures and mechanism systems, addressing bottlenecks and non‑conformances, and troubleshooting technical issues as needed.
• Drive continuous improvements and corrective actions to increase efficiency and reliability of mechanical hardware manufacturing by utilizing production metrics.
• Drive engagement with Supply Chain on vendor management, supplier qualification and development, and make/buy strategies for mechanical hardware.
• Oversee calibration and certification of mechanical ground support equipment including fixtures, lifting devices, and test equipment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, aerospace engineering, or a related field.
• Experience in manufacturing engineering for aerospace, defense, or high‑reliability systems commensurate with the level of responsibility.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with demonstrated ability to influence design decisions, drive cross‑functional alignment, and present technical information to diverse audiences.
• Experience with PLM, MES, configuration and data management controls and systems.
• Experience working to AS9100 process and standards.
• Hands‑on experience with mechanical component fabrication, assembly, and testing including precision drilling, fastening, bonding, composite layup, CNC machining, welding, additive manufacturing, and surface treatment processes.
• Experience building and producing classified hardware in SCIFs or SAP facilities.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in design, manufacturing, testing, and integration of spacecraft mechanical structures and mechanism systems (e.g., structures, fairings/panels, mechanisms, deployables, separation systems).
• Experience in selecting and commissioning equipment to enable production.
• Expertise in at least one mechanical manufacturing domain: composites, metallics, CNC machining, bonding, additive manufacturing, drilling, fastening, welding, tooling, vehicle structural integration, precision alignment, interface control.
• Expert‑level understanding of AS9100.
• Background in spacecraft mechanical or structural environmental and qualification testing (vibration, acoustic, thermal).

Compensation

• $140,000–$175,000
• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave.

Additional Requirements

• Work Location — Successful candidates will be located near Long Beach, CA. While we observe a hybrid work environment, some work must be done on site.
• Work environment — The work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
• Physical demands — The physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.

Eligibility

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

True Anomaly is committed to equal employment opportunity on any basis protected by applicable state and federal laws. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please let us know.