Lead Manufacturing Engineer

About Us

Colossus is bringing the computer revolution to space. Our goal is to take the last 30 years of development in terrestrial computing to orbit. Colossus technology enables satellites to operate autonomously, facilitating instant Earth intelligence, satellite servicing, new modes of scientific exploration, and more. We touch every layer of the engineering design, from silicon to software to build solutions for the harsh environment of space.

About This Role

As a Lead Manufacturing Engineer, you will be responsible for all aspects of manufacturing and quality at Colossus. You will have responsibility for day-to-day operations of unit assembly and tests, test procedures and documentation, procurement, and quality assurance. As the team grows, you will take a technical leadership role, guiding and mentoring more junior manufacturing engineers and technicians. You and the rest of the manufacturing team will work with the other teams at the company to track and improve reliability and quality. This is a full-time position.

While Colossus is a remote-first company, this position will require significant in-person work at Colossus’ headquarters in Oakland, CA. We trust our team members to work in the location that suits them best. This might mean that you spend a week working remotely doing paperwork or documentation, followed by weeks of working from the office assembling, testing, documenting, and shipping products. Some folks prefer to work from an office full time, and we support that as well.

*Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, people from underrepresented groups tend to only apply when they meet 100% of the qualifications. At Colossus, we’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t check all the boxes.

Responsibilities

• Own the transition from development to production, working as part of a cross-functional team to support product delivery
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of other manufacturing engineers and technicians as our team grows
• Write and implement assembly instructions, SOPs, and test plans
• Manage Bill of Materials (BOMs) within PLM/ERP environment and coordinate changes/improvements with design engineering
• Manage inbound and outbound logistics, including parts procurement, inventory, shipping product to customers to keep everything running smoothly
• Coordinate production testing, including functional (software, electrical) and environmental (vibration, shock, thermal, TVAC) and assess performance throughout test campaigns
• Create and refine procedures, tooling, and test setups to increase efficiency and hardware consistency
• Manage vendors, outside technicians, and other contractors
• Maintain our Quality Management System, driving continuous improvements in all aspects of production
• Minimal travel may be required to support our builds, visit vendors, etc (<10%)

Experience We’re Looking For

• 5 years experience in manufacturing, assembly, integration, and test of complex, high-value systems or similar experience
• Experience with MES/ERP/MRP systems and digital production tracking
• Experience with electronics manufacturing processes (i.e., soldering, conformal coating, harnessing) and mechanical manufacturing processes (i.e., machining, surface treatment, inspection)
• Experience using value stream mapping, lean agile, and similar tools to improve quality, increase efficiency, and reduce waste
• Ability to read and interpret engineering documentation (e.g., electrical schematics, mechanical drawings, CAD models, wire lists)
• Experience with environmental test preparation and post-test mechanical inspection
• Working knowledge of GD&T, tolerancing, precision mechanical alignment, and hardware inspection
• Familiarity with industry standards and best practices in aerospace manufacturing, such as ISO 9001 or similar quality management systems
• Knowledge of quality control methodologies, including inspection techniques and root cause analysis
• (bonus) Knowledge of aerospace standards (i.e. GEVS 7000, AS9100)
• (bonus) Experience with spacecraft AI&T and/or operations

Life at Colossus

We are curious. We’re the kids who took apart appliances on the kitchen table. We have to understand how everything works. If that sounds like you, you’ll fit right in. Let’s try to have a little fun along the way, too.

Some of our benefits include

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• HRA for mental health and FSA
• 401(k) plan with employer matching
• Stock options
• Flexible working hours and location
• Unlimited PTO that we encourage you to take

We have standardized compensation across all roles and locations. Everyone makes $160,000 USD, with regular updates and bonuses tied to the company’s success.