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Salary: USD 115,000 - 205,000 / annual
AstroForge is building the infrastructure to mine asteroids and extract valuable minerals in space at lower cost and environmental impact than terrestrial mining. As Production Operations Manager, you will own end-to-end production of flight hardware—from kitting and assembly through integration and test—while standing up foundational production processes from scratch. This is a hands-on role for someone equally comfortable building hardware today and designing scalable systems for ten builds per month tomorrow.
You will define work instructions, travelers, and production workflows; partner closely with engineering to resolve manufacturability issues in real time; and lead a growing team of technicians. Key responsibilities include establishing production metrics (throughput, cycle time, escapes, cost) to drive continuous improvement, building and maintaining production schedules that account for long-lead parts and engineering changes, and evaluating production software systems (MES/ERP/PLM) that scale with the company. You will coordinate with supply chain on vendor-built components and outside processing, champion a safety-first culture as the floor scales, and communicate build status and risks to engineering and leadership.
The ideal candidate has 5+ years in production, manufacturing, or build/integration roles for spacecraft, launch vehicles, or comparable high-reliability hardware. You must demonstrate ability to build production processes from scratch—not just operate within existing ones—and be comfortable working in ambiguity with limited tooling or process infrastructure. A college degree in engineering or business (or equivalent hands-on aerospace/hardware experience) is required. Preferred experience includes standing up a production line at an early-stage aerospace company, lean manufacturing principles, MES/ERP/PLM implementation, direct management of technicians in cleanroom or avionics environments, and familiarity with AS9100 quality standards.
This is a ground-floor opportunity at a well-funded space startup. You will recruit, hire, and train technicians and supervisors as the team grows. ITAR compliance required: applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by ITAR.
