Position Description: Space Production & Operations Engineer
Job Summary
The Space Production & Operations Engineer is responsible for converting space engineering designs into repeatable, efficient, and qualified manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing (AIT/AIV) processes. Serving as a crucial bridge between the design engineering team, the cleanroom assembly floor, and product assurance (PA/QA), this role ensures flight hardware is built to strict aerospace standards.
Key Responsibilities
· Industrialization & Producibility (DFM/DFA): Evaluate hardware designs in early development phases to ensure manufacturability and assemblability (Design for Manufacturing / Design for Assembly), actively contributing to formal design reviews (PDR, CDR).
· Process Definition & Routing: Draft manufacturing routings, shop-floor work instructions (SOPs), and assembly flow charts for flight hardware, subsystems, or space modules.
· Special Process Qualification: Define and qualify special manufacturing processes in compliance with space standards (e.g., high-precision joining/welding, crimping, cleanroom integration, thermal/chemical processing) and issue formal Process Qualification Reports (PQR).
· Manufacturing Risk Analysis: Lead Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) activities and implement targeted risk mitigations across production steps.
· Statistical Process Control & First Article: Deploy Statistical Process Control (SPC) for Key Characteristics and execute First Article Inspection Reports (FAIR under AS9102 / EN 9102) for flight prototypes and serial batch setups.
· Shop-Floor Support & Non-Conformance Management: Resolve technical disruptions on the assembly line, manage Mandatory Inspection Points (MIPs), and support Material Review Boards (MRB) to disposition Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs).
· Industrial Readiness Management: Track, evaluate, and advance the Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRL) of products from qualification to serial production readiness.
Candidate Profile & Requirements
· Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Aerospace, Materials Science, or Electronics Engineering.
· Experience: Minimum 3–5 years of experience in industrialized manufacturing, process engineering, or AIT/AIV within the space, defense, or aerospace sectors.
· Technical & Standards Knowledge:
o ECSS manufacturing and quality standards (specifically ECSS-Q-ST-70 Processing and ECSS-Q-ST-20 Quality Assurance).
o First Article Inspection standards (AS9102 / EN 9102).
o Core manufacturing methodologies: Lean Manufacturing, PFMEA, SPC, and MRL assessments.
· Working Environment: Hands-on experience with cleanroom integration protocols (ISO 7 / ISO 8 environments) and specialized integration tooling, jigs, and fixtures.
· Languages: Professional proficiency in English (B2/C1 minimum, technical written and spoken) and Spanish.
