Senior Manager, Manufacturing Engineering

Capella Space stands at the forefront of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology and signal intelligence. We provide customers in governments, academia, and commercial sectors with reliable information that enables unparalleled understanding of the world. Our mission is centered on delivering timely and reliable Earth imagery, supporting diverse applications in defense & intelligence, disaster response, energy, environmental monitoring and more. Utilizing cutting-edge technology, Capella Space designs, manufactures and operates an advanced constellation of SAR imaging satellites. Our market-leading SAR satellites are complemented by an unmatched data infrastructure and automated ordering and delivery platform for fast, reliable insights where and when customers need it most. 

Recognized for our technological prowess, Capella Space was honored as one of the 10 most innovative companies in Space in 2023 by FASTCOMPANY. Capella Space is an internationally trusted Earth Observation data provider, working closely with the U.S. Space Systems Command, U.S. Space Force, NASA, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, the Canadian Government and more to make unclassified, high-resolution SAR data more accessible.  

What Makes Capella Unique? 

Capella Space is a highly collaborative team environment, providing an opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the space industry, though no prior space experience is needed.  We’re looking for people excited about tackling seemingly impossible challenges, learning new skills and concepts, and helping each other achieve success. Our mission and our products are meant to understand the whole world and help everyone in it - regardless of race, creed, or any other distinction. We encourage you to bring your unique perspective to help make us stronger, including applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. 

About the Role & Team

As the Leader of the Manufacturing Engineering team, you will be at the forefront of shaping the future of Capella Space's satellite manufacturing capabilities. This is a high-impact, newly created role where you will establish and lead a new team from the ground up. You will define and implement the strategies, processes, and systems that ensure our production lines are efficient, scalable, and adaptable to rapidly increasing demand. This role will require both strategic oversight and hands-on technical leadership to ensure that production processes not only meet today’s requirements but are robust enough to handle future growth.

Role Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a cross-functional team of engineers to ensure a seamless transition from satellite design to full-scale production, leveraging your experience to optimize manufacturability, cost, and time-to-market.
• Establish and standardize manufacturing processes to streamline satellite production.
• Lead the selection, implementation, and integration of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) to improve production tracking, data collection, and real-time decision-making across the manufacturing floor.
• Lead efforts in new product introduction (NPI), working alongside design engineering to validate that new satellite designs are production-ready and identifying opportunities to improve both design and process efficiencies early in the product development cycle.
• Collaborate with production, quality assurance, and supply chain teams to define manufacturing requirements, ensuring that materials, components, and assemblies meet both technical and performance standards.
• Anticipate and mitigate production bottlenecks by designing scalable processes and implementing new manufacturing technologies that enhance output without compromising quality.
• Take a leadership role in optimizing workflows, tooling, and equipment layouts to ensure flexibility as the production line grows, while also maximizing floor space and resource allocation.
• Drive continuous improvement programs that reduce cycle time, improve product quality, and lower costs using lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other advanced methodologies.
• Serve as a key liaison between the production floor and the leadership team, translating operational challenges into actionable insights, and ensuring that manufacturing performance aligns with the broader organizational goals. 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, with at least 3 years in