{"id":3858615,"url":"https://alion.io/job/parallax-space-principal-manufacturing-engineer","title":"Principal Manufacturing Engineer","company":{"id":4520011,"name":"Parallax Space","domain":"parallaxspace.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/parallax-space","size_band":"11-50","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Rippling","truth_index":null},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Denver, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":15,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"AS9100","optional":false},{"name":"FMEA","optional":false},{"name":"Statistical Process Control","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-27T19:38:41Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-27","last_verified_at":"2026-11-11T06:18:47Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":14,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":14},"description":"Parallax Space is building a new model for the space industry-delivering satellites and critical space components with the speed, scale, and reliability demanded by the next generation of space missions. We combine advanced engineering, vertically integrated manufacturing, and production-focused design to make space hardware production more repeatable, predictable, and scalable.\nPosition Overview\nParallax Space is seeking a Principal Manufacturing Engineer to architect, implement, and scale manufacturing capabilities across satellite systems, subsystems, and critical space components. This foundational technical leader will build the production architecture, manufacturing engineering organization, factory infrastructure, and disciplined processes required to progress from early builds to sustained rate manufacturing.\nThe ideal candidate has personally built manufacturing operations, can translate product designs into controlled and repeatable processes, and is equally effective defining strategy, leading teams, and solving technical problems on the production floor. The mandate is to industrialize complex space hardware with a focus on throughput, quality, cost, and scalability.\nKey Responsibilities\nManufacturing Strategy & Production Architecture\nDevelop manufacturing strategy and production ramp plans supporting increasing satellite and component output.\nArchitect work cells, assembly lines, factory layouts, production flows, and repeatable operating concepts.\nModel takt time, cycle time, throughput, work-in-process, capacity, staffing, and capital equipment needs.\nIntroduce lean manufacturing and industrial-engineering methods to transition from low-volume builds to standardized production.\nDefine manufacturing maturity milestones and production readiness criteria across programs.\nManufacturing Systems & Robust Processes\nEstablish documented, controlled manufacturing processes, work instructions, routings, travelers, inspection gates, and training standards.\nLead implementation and integration of MES, ERP/MRP, PLM, digital work instructions, and production data systems.\nImplement serialized traceability, material control, configuration management, and complete as-built records.\nDevelop process qualification and verification approaches; deploy error-proofing and controls to reduce variability and rework.\nCreate operational dashboards for real-time visibility into status, yield, throughput, and bottlenecks.\nRate Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement\nDesign and balance production cells against takt and demand; establish labor standards and measurable cycle times.\nPlan and execute production ramps, capacity expansions, and constraint-removal initiatives.\nImprove first-pass yield, schedule attainment, recurring labor hours, inventory flow, and cost per unit.\nDeploy root cause analysis, PFMEA, corrective actions, process capability analysis, and statistical controls where appropriate.\nMaintain a data-driven improvement roadmap spanning labor, quality, equipment utilization, and production throughput.\nFactory Infrastructure, Tooling & Automation\nSpecify, procure, commission, and qualify production equipment, assembly fixtures, tooling, and ground support equipment.\nDevelop facility and cell requirements for cleanroom operations, ESD, contamination control, FOD prevention, and calibrated equipment.\nPartner with integration and test engineering to optimize build, functional test, and environmental test flow.\nEvaluate automation and capital investments using sound economic and production-rate trade studies.\nDevelop factory standards and modular systems that can be replicated across programs, products, and sites.\nManufacturing Team Development & Technical Leadership\nBuild and mentor a high-performing manufacturing engineering organization, including staffing and competency plans.\nDefine responsibilities and interfaces with production, product engineering, quality, supply chain, and integration and test.\nAct as senior technical authority on manufacturing methods, producibility, process controls, and rate readiness.\nLead cross-functional problem solving, technical reviews, personnel development, and recruiting.\nCultivate hands-on execution, accountability, operational discipline, and continuous improvement.\nNew Product Introduction & Product Industrialization\nPartner with design teams early to drive DFMA, commonality, assembly simplicity, and manufacturable architectures.\nPlan the transition from prototypes and engineering models through qualification to recurring flight production.\nDevelop MBOMs, production routings, process specifications, tooling plans, make/buy inputs, and labor estimates.\nManage manufacturing impacts of engineering changes and production configuration baselines.\nIdentify manufacturing risks and drive practical mitigations before rate production.\nQuality & Reliability\nBuild quality into the process rather than depending on downstream inspection.\nImplement AS9100-aligned practices and relevant customer, NASA, and IPC workmanship requirements.\nPartner with quality engineering on control plans, acceptance criteria, nonconformance disposition, and corrective actions.\nDrive measurable improvements in product consistency, process repeatability, first-pass yield, and escapes.\nRequired Qualifications\nBachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.\nTypically 12+ years of progressive manufacturing engineering or complex-hardware production experience.\nProven record building and scaling manufacturing processes, production systems, and operating infrastructure.\nExperience designing cells, layouts, workflows, capacity models, and production ramp plans.\nStrong command of lean manufacturing, DFMA, manufacturing quality, configuration control, and process engineering.\nWorking experience with MES, ERP/MRP, PLM, or equivalent digital production systems.\nDemonstrated technical leadership, team building, cross-functional influence, and hands-on problem solving.\nAbility to thrive in a high-growth organization with evolving priorities and significant individual ownership.\nPreferred Qualifications\n15+ years of complex hardware manufacturing experience and direct accountability for rate increases.\nSatellite, spacecraft subsystem, avionics, electromechanical, aerospace, automotive, or advanced electronics background.\nExperience launching greenfield facilities, new product lines, or repeatable factory systems.\nExperience with AS9100, IPC J-STD-001, IPC-A-610, NASA workmanship requirements, or related standards.\nBackground in factory automation, digital manufacturing, test integration, and statistical process control.\nExperience building and directly leading manufacturing engineering teams; Lean Six Sigma training is a plus.\nLeadership Attributes\nBuilder mentality\nProduction-first thinking\nDeep technical ownership\nBias for action\nSystems thinking\nOperational discipline\nTeam development\nRelentless continuous improvement\nMeasures of Success\nFocus Area\nExpected Outcome\nManufacturing architecture\nScalable production cells, documented workflows, and capacity plans\nProduction readiness\nReleased, repeatable, traceable, controlled processes\nRate capability\nPredictable throughput and achievement of planned production ramps\nEfficiency & cost\nLower recurring labor hours, cycle time, rework, and unit cost\nQuality\nHigher first-pass yield and sustained process stability\nDigital factory\nEffective production visibility, traceability, and execution systems\nTeam development\nManufacturing engineering capability that expands with the business\nReplication\nStandard production architecture usable across programs and facilities\nWhy Join Parallax Space\nManufacturing is a central part of Parallax Space’s competitive advantage. This position offers direct ownership over how hardware is built, how production systems scale, how teams develop, and how a new generation of spacecraft manufacturing facilities is established. We are seeking someone who wants to build the manufacturing system-not simply sustain an existing line.","description_format":"text","description_chars":8085,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":15,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Space & Aerospace","Launch Services","Electrical & Electronic Engineering"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-06T07:57:11Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":69,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.771,"p_room":0.9,"age_days":14,"expected_fill_days":27,"reasons":["conf:4","win:mid"],"computed_at":"2026-11-11T05:49:22Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/parallax-space-principal-manufacturing-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/parallax-space-principal-manufacturing-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-11T10:05:59Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":17115,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-12T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":4520011},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=4520011"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fparallax-space-principal-manufacturing-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":2,"usd":0.2},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fparallax-space-principal-manufacturing-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fparallax-space-principal-manufacturing-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/parallax-space-principal-manufacturing-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fparallax-space-principal-manufacturing-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3858615}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"parallaxspace.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3858615},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. Docs: https://alion.io/developers"}}