Apex Space
aerospace
StaffManufacturingEngineerFactoryDevelopment
“Staff Manufacturing Engineer - Factory Development at Apex Space. Skills: factory development, manufacturing scale up, production systems design, manufacturing strategy, DFM/DFA. Drive manufacturing strategy and NPI execution for Comet from early development through production ramp. Lead factory development initiatives including greenfield factory planning, facility layout, manufacturing line design, workflow optimization, and production infrastructure definition”
Industry & Context.
root cause investigations; process improvements; production troubleshooting
What They're Looking For.
Must Have
B. S. in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related technical discipline, 8+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, NPI, factory development, production engineering, or industrialization roles within aerospace, automotive, robotics, or other high-complexity hardware industries, Demonstrated experience scaling complex hardware products from prototype/development builds into production environments, experience planning and developing manufacturing facilities, including factory layout, line design, workflow optimization, equipment integration, and production ramp activities, Proven ability to walk into a blank factory space and define practical, scalable manufacturing solutions from the ground up, understanding of DFM/DFA principles, manufacturing process development, tooling design, and production system architecture, Hands-on, technically deep understanding of hardware manufacturing processes with the ability to bridge design intent and factory execution, Experience supporting production rate development, manufacturing capacity planning, and factory throughput planning, Hands-on experience with manufacturing process validation, integration, hardware bring-up, and production troubleshooting, Experience working cross-functionally with design engineering, supply chain, quality, production, automation, facilities, and test organizations, communication, technical leadership, and execution skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive large-scale manufacturing initiatives, Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, ambiguous development environments with high ownership and autonomy
Nice to Have
Experience developing or scaling spacecraft, satellite, avionics, propulsion, or other aerospace production systems, Experience supporting greenfield factory builds or major factory expansions, Familiarity with automation systems, robotics, AGVs, or advanced manufacturing technologies, Experience with vertical integration strategy, makeuy analysis, or manufacturing insourcing efforts, Experience with production simulation, factory throughput modeling, or rate analysis, Familiarity with configuration control, process qualification, and engineering change management systems, Experience with high-rate production environments within aerospace or automotive industries, Prior experience building or leading manufacturing engineering or factory development teams
What You'll Do.
Drive manufacturing strategy and NPI execution for Comet from early development through production ramp
Lead factory development initiatives including greenfield factory planning
manufacturing line design
workflow optimization
and production infrastructure definition
Take ownership of translating production requirements into scalable factory solutions
including equipment layouts
production rate planning
Partner with leadership and Facilities teams to evaluate new buildings
support site selection activities
and define long-term manufacturing expansion strategies
Develop scalable production methodologies suitable for medium-to-high-rate spacecraft manufacturing
Define and implement manufacturing process flows
and production readiness plans
Partner directly with product design and engineering teams to provide DFM/DFA feedback throughout concept development
Collaborate with automation and facilities teams to identify and implement automation and semi-automation opportunities across production lines
and deployment of production equipment
and manufacturing systems
Build practical manufacturing solutions that balance engineering intent
throughput requirements
and long-term scalability
Drive root cause investigations
and manufacturing readiness initiatives during integration and production activities
Establish and maintain manufacturing documentation
configuration management practices
and NPI best practices
Contribute to long-term strategy around vertical integration
manufacturing insourcing
and future production capabilities
Help define and scale the future NPI Manufacturing Engineering and Factory Development organization as production complexity and rate increase
How You'll Work.
Team & Collaboration
work cross-functionally with Engineering, Production, Supply Chain, Facilities, Automation, and Leadership teams; Partner with leadership and Facilities teams; Partner directly with product design and engineering teams; Collaborate with automation and facilities teams; Experience working cross-functionally with design engineering, supply chain, quality, production, automation, facilities, and test organizations; ability to influence cross-functional teams
Communication Scope
communication skills
Process & Methodology
NPI execution, execution skills, drive large-scale manufacturing initiatives
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