Staff Manufacturing Engineer (Space Hardware)

The Valentino Group; Alameda (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Valentino Group in California is seeking a hands-on Staff Manufacturing Engineer to lead the manufacturing of low-volume, high-mix space hardware such as launch vehicles and spacecraft engines. You will partner with electrical, mechanical, test engineering, and program teams to ensure producible, testable, safe, and reliable hardware, while driving DFM/DFA, work instructions, and production schedules.

This role requires strong problem solving, on‑the‑floor leadership, and willingness to

Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant experience leading electrical and/or mechanical designs from inception through production.
• Strong DFM/DFA background—proven delivery through development, test, and production.
• Familiarity with spacecraft and/or launch vehicle design and test.
• Experience with capacity modeling, process mapping, and fault analysis.
• Proficiency with CAD and GD&T.
• Clear written/verbal communication and collaboration.
• Ability to prioritize and work under pressure; continuous improvement mindset.
• Willing to work extended hours/weekends as needed.
• Comfortable working on the floor (standing, bending/stooping for extended periods).
• Bachelor’s degree in EE, Aerospace, Physics, Math, CS, or related field (or 4 extra years of experience).

Responsibilities

• Own Design for Manufacturability (DFM/DFA): guide assemblies from design release through build and acceptance testing.
• Enable cross-functional decisions during concept down-selects and feasibility reviews.
• Build production structure with mBOMs, CONOPS, build schedules, and supporting documentation.
• Define standard work: write work instructions, specifications, and best practices.
• Scale capability: implement new manufacturing processes and support capital equipment introduction.
• Train and support technicians: develop clear process plans and floor coaching.
• Lead issue management: track failure modes, drive root-cause and corrective actions.
• Nonconformance & repair: support design/analysis/integration to resolve issues and repair procedures.
• Production test development: create testing processes/requirements for high‑pressure gas systems.
• Adapt fast: respond to evolving designs and time-sensitive constraints.

Skills

DFM/DFA

CAD

GD&T

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

On-floor leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in EE, Aerospace, Physics, Math, CS, or related field

Tools

RCCA

PFMEA

QMS

Job description

Staff Manufacturing Engineer (Space Hardware)

Overview

Our client is seeking a hands‑on Staff Manufacturing Engineer to lead the manufacturing of low‑volume / high‑mix space hardware, including launch vehicles and spacecraft engines. You’ll partner closely with electrical, mechanical, test engineering, technicians, program managers, and systems teams to ensure products are manufacturable, testable, safe, and reliable—and to rapidly resolve issues spanning design, assembly, and supplier quality. This is a high‑impact role for a self‑starter who thrives in ambiguity, drives continuous improvement, and bridges development and production.

What You’ll Do

• Own Design for Manufacturability (DFM/DFA): Guide assemblies from design release through build and acceptance testing, shaping scalable build flows
• Enable cross‑functional decisions: Represent Manufacturing in concept down‑selects and feasibility reviews
• Build production structure: Create and maintain mBOMs, CONOPS, build schedules, and supporting documentation through development
• Define standard work: Write work instructions, specifications, and best practices across multiple high‑fidelity processes
• Scale capability: Implement new manufacturing processes and support capital equipment introduction for expanded production
• Train and support technicians: Develop clear process plans and coach teams in a hardware‑on‑the‑floor environment
• Lead issue management: Track failure modes, drive root‑cause and corrective actions, and verify closure with owners
• Nonconformance & repair: Support design/analysis/integration to resolve off‑nominal issues and create sustainable repair procedures
• Production test development: Create testing processes/requirements for high‑pressure gas systems to meet rate targets
• Adapt fast: Respond to evolving designs, priorities, and build/test constraints in time‑sensitive environments

What We’re Looking For (Required)

• 5+ years relevant experience, including leading electrical and/or mechanical designs from inception through production
• Strong DFM/DFA background—proven delivery through development, test, and production
• Familiarity with spacecraft and/or launch vehicle design and test (education and/or on‑the‑job)
• Experience with capacity modeling, process mapping, and fault analysis
• Proficiency with CAD and GD&T
• Strong collaboration, ownership mindset, and clear written/verbal communication
• Comfortable presenting recommendations to stakeholders and leadership using first principles and trade studies
• Able to prioritize and execute under pressure; committed to continuous improvement
• Willing to work extended hours/weekends as needed
• Comfortable working on the floor (standing, bending/stooping for extended periods)
• Bachelor’s degree in EE, Aerospace, Physics, Math, CS, or related field (or 4 additional years of experience in lieu of degree)

Nice to Have (Desired Multipliers)

• Experience in low‑to‑medium volume manufacturing and full product lifecycle development
• Quality tools and systems: RCCA, PFMEA, QMS, process audits, statistical quality metrics
• Experience with complex automated systems and risk assessment/reduction
• Working knowledge of Python or another programming language