XLab Manufacturing Operations Director

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators.

Join us and take your place in space. The Aerospace Corporation’s Experiment Lab, xLab, develops prototypes, instruments, pathfinders, and demonstration systems that target our customers’ hardest problems at a time of increasing strategic importance. We engage with our customers to conceptualize and deliver innovative and impactful solutions (products) for ground and space and everything in between. xLab’s multi-disciplinary engineers and technical staff have a passion for design, a commitment to teamwork and a desire to help Aerospace make a difference to today’s challenges.

• Provide leadership, planning, and direction for xLab’s technical support and operations staff (8‑12 fabrication, assembly, test and layout designers).
• Work with other xLab leaders for strategic planning and tactical execution of the prototyping portfolio; recommend areas of improvement for more effective and efficient technical and business operations.
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships to enable surge capabilities during high volume periods.
• Assign and prioritize resources, determine staffing needs, and coordinate activities and operations working in conjunction with other xLab leaders.
• Conduct staff performance reviews, establish departmental and personnel goals, and recommend performance improvement, career development, salary and promotion actions.
• Responsible for production control and associated procurements, budget planning, equipment/supply management.
• Maintain and support an effective safety and housekeeping best‑practice culture for multiple engineering & test laboratories.
• Manage lab equipment, including procurement of new equipment and coordinating metrology needs for existing lab test equipment.
• Manage inventory and storage for lab supplies, parts and project needs.
• Communicate and coordinate activities to counterpart departments, management, and customers.

• Minimum requirements:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field or equivalent.
• Substantial experience in a managerial role with proven ability to establish and maintain effective team relationships with contractors, customers, and corporate staff with a focus on engineering and industrial management.
• Demonstrated success in developing staff, impacting effective operations, and management of research labs.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to influence a technical organization at all staffing levels.
• Strong leadership skills to include personnel management experience, communication skills, and a passion for rapid prototyping.
• Willingness to travel domestically up to 10%.
• Position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret level security clearance, issued by the U.S. government.
• U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

• Experience and/or degree in Industrial Engineering, Engineering Management, Business Management, particularly in the defense industry.
• 10 years of demonstrated experience developing and managing in a “first article” prototype lab environment, new product introduction (NPI).
• Experience with lean manufacturing in an R&D setting.
• Working workmanship standards (e.g., IPC, J‑Standards, PCB manufacture, harness manufacture, ESD).
• Proficiency in Jira and Confluence.
• Working knowledge of CAE tools used for layout design, e.g., PADS or PADS Xpedition, OrCAD, Altium.

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. The grade‑based pay range for this job is $ – $ annually.

Comprehensive health care and wellness plans; paid…