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Astro Mechanica is a vertically integrated aerospace company developing scalable technology platforms for critical infrastructure and advanced flight systems. Backed by leading venture and strategic investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Giant Step Capital, United Airlines Ventures, and Voyager Ventures, the company combines aerospace engineering excellence with a flat, pragmatic culture focused on building hardware that works in demanding environments.
You will lead Astro Mechanica's airframe manufacturing function for a supersonic aircraft program. Reporting to the Director of Manufacturing, you will own the end-to-end manufacturing operation, translating advanced designs into flight-ready hardware while building and scaling the manufacturing team and infrastructure from the ground up.
Key responsibilities include:
- Establishing airframe manufacturing operations from scratch: facilities design, workflows, tooling concepts, and technician team development
- Owning day-to-day composite and metallic airframe manufacturing, including layup, bonding, curing, trimming, assembly, and rework
- Translating engineering designs, analyses, and requirements into executable manufacturing plans in close collaboration with airframe engineering teams
- Leading and mentoring composite technicians and fabricators with a strong hands-on presence on the shop floor
- Supervising operation of composite manufacturing equipment (autoclaves, ovens, freezers, layup tools, trimming and inspection equipment)
- Establishing work instructions, build sequences, tooling approaches, and process documentation with continuous improvement
- Ensuring compliance with aerospace quality standards, inspection practices, and flight hardware documentation requirements
- Driving a culture of quality, accountability, and craftsmanship across the manufacturing team
- Partnering with senior leadership to align manufacturing strategy with program goals, schedules, and technical risk reduction
The role demands a tactical leader comfortable with ambiguity, rapid change, and high accountability in a fast-moving development environment. You will work in-office five days per week to foster collaboration and strengthen company culture.
REQUIREMENTS:
- 10+ years of experience in high-mix, low-volume composite manufacturing, prototyping, or airframe fabrication, preferably in aerospace or defense
- Strong hands-on knowledge of composite materials and processes (prepreg layup, wet layup, bonding, curing, trimming, repair)
- Strong hands-on knowledge of metallic materials and processing
- Practical experience with metallic airframe components and composite-to-metal interfaces
- Demonstrated experience building or scaling manufacturing operations, labs, or shops in development or flight hardware environments
- Proven ability to lead and mentor technicians while remaining deeply engaged in technical details
- Ability to work directly from engineering drawings, ply books, CAD models, and evolving build definitions
- Familiarity with aerospace quality standards, inspection practices, and flight/test hardware documentation
- Practical, execution-focused leadership style with comfort navigating ambiguity and rapid change
- Ambition to build real flight hardware in a fast-moving, high-accountability environment
