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Salary: USD 134,434 - 188,207 / annual
Cowboy Space Corporation is building space-based solar energy infrastructure, developing modular, scalable satellites that collect sunlight in Low Earth Orbit to transmit energy via infrared lasers, power on-orbit computing clusters, and provide secure optical data transport. The company was founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood) and has raised approximately $365 million from top-tier investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Index Ventures, and Breakthrough Energy Ventures.
As a Senior Manufacturing Engineer focused on propulsion, you will establish how rocket engines are manufactured as the company builds a factory from the ground up. This is not a support role—manufacturing engineers here are accountable for delivering hardware and making key decisions about production methods, equipment purchases, and process development.
You will define the manufacturing concept of operations and design-for-manufacturability strategy for assigned hardware, covering production methods, equipment selection, and build sequences. You will support facility layout and planning, identify and specify capital equipment, design tooling and fixtures for machining, welding, assembly, handling, and transport. You will lead process qualification plans in partnership with Materials & Processes and Quality teams, manage supplier interactions for externally routed parts, and oversee qualification of new in-house processes.
Responsibilities include authoring all build documentation (routings, work instructions, process specifications, manufacturing bills of materials), owning hardware delivery, build cycle time, yield, and rate readiness. You will identify and resolve manufacturing constraints, scale processes from first article to repeatable production, ensure configuration and pedigree tracking throughout build and test, manage nonconforming hardware disposition, lead rework and repair efforts, and mentor team members.
The role adapts to changing program needs and your strengths rather than being limited to a single component. The company seeks candidates with broad experience across programs and processes who understand different manufacturing methods and why they are chosen.
REQUIREMENTS:
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, or equivalent experience
- Comprehensive understanding of mechanical design and manufacturing principles, including proficiency with GD&T per ASME Y14.5, tolerance stack analysis, and dimensional inspection techniques (CMM, Faro Arm, Blue Light Scan, manual inspection)
- Demonstrated hands-on ownership of build and assembly processes on the manufacturing floor
- Proficiency in CAD
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with proven ability to facilitate and resolve challenging technical discussions
- Experience evaluating and dispositioning nonconforming hardware and developing detailed rework or repair plans
Preferred Qualifications:
- Minimum of 8 years of hands-on experience in hardware manufacturing utilizing a variety of methods (machining, additive manufacturing, welding, brazing, forming, casting, forging, cleaning, non-destructive testing, precision assembly, acceptance testing)
- Background spanning multiple product lines and manufacturing methods
- Proven track record in establishing new factories or production lines, and/or transferring qualified manufacturing processes between sites
- Extensive development-phase involvement, including taking hardware from concept through first article and qualification to repeatable production at rate
- Proficiency with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Manufacturing Execution System (MES) software
- Demonstrated capability in developing work instructions and process specifications
- Proven skillset in design, analysis, and procurement of tooling for manufacturing and assembly applications throughout product lifecycle
- Proficiency in Siemens-based CAM and/or machine languages
ITAR Requirement: Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
