Head of Manufacturing

<p><strong>Company Overview<br></strong>Fortastra designs and delivers resilient, high-performance spacecraft that safeguard critical orbital assets and ensure freedom of action in space. We integrate advanced autonomy, sensing, and control into systems engineered for reliability, speed, and scale. Our culture values simplicity, accountability, and disciplined execution. We expect leaders to think systemically, act decisively, and take ownership of mission outcomes. Aggressive innovation. Disciplined execution. <strong>Strength among the stars.</strong></p> <p><strong>Team / Department<br></strong>You will lead Fortastra’s Manufacturing function within the Engineering Division, owning production strategy, manufacturing readiness, and hardware build execution across our spacecraft portfolio.</p> <p><strong>The Role <br></strong>Fortastra is seeking a <strong>Head of Manufacturing</strong> to lead the company’s manufacturing strategy and production execution in support of rapidly developing autonomous spacecraft systems.&nbsp;This is a hands-on leadership role focused on building scalable manufacturing capabilities alongside active spacecraft development. You will work closely with engineering to develop production processes, tooling, and integration flows while spacecraft designs are still evolving.&nbsp;The ideal candidate thrives in fast-paced environments where manufacturing and product development occur in parallel.</p> <p><strong>Key Responsibilities</strong></p> <ul> <li>Own manufacturing strategy and production readiness across spacecraft programs</li> <li>Develop manufacturing processes, build flows, tooling, and production infrastructure alongside active hardware development</li> <li>Partner closely with engineering to improve manufacturability, scalability, and integration efficiency</li> <li>Establish production planning, work instructions, quality controls, and manufacturing standards</li> <li>Lead spacecraft assembly, integration, and test execution activities</li> <li>Identify and resolve manufacturing bottlenecks, process risks, and production inefficiencies</li> <li>Support supplier coordination and hardware readiness in partnership with Supply Chain</li> <li>Drive prototype-to-production transition planning across spacecraft systems and subsystems</li> <li>Build and lead a high-performing manufacturing organization as the company scales</li> <li>Act as the primary operational authority for manufacturing execution and production planning</li> </ul> <p><strong>Qualifications and Skills&nbsp;</strong></p> <ul> <li>B.S. or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field&