Equipment Operations Manager

Portal Space Systems is on a mission to expand humanity's freedom of movement in space. We're building the spacecraft that makes that mission possible. From our Bothell, WA headquarters, we design vehicles with the maneuverability, resilience, and adaptability needed for the next era of orbital operations. Every system we build is in service of a simple idea: space should be more accessible, responsive, and capable.

Joining Portal means stepping into a team that believes in bold engineering, fast iteration, and the power of small groups to change what's possible. If you want your work to directly shape the future of in-space mobility, join us.

Position Summary About the Role

We're looking for an Equipment Operations Manager to lead the selection, procurement, installation, and commissioning of industrial equipment in a high‑tech satellite manufacturing environment. In this role you will work directly with contractors and internal teams to stand up new capability, ensure equipment is delivered on schedule, and drive reliability once it's in production. You will own equipment operations end‑to‑end — from evaluating vendor proposals through installation oversight to long‑term maintenance strategy.

Key Job Responsibilities Equipment Selection & Procurement

• Evaluate, select, and specify capital equipment to support satellite manufacturing operations, ensuring alignment with production requirements, safety standards, and facility constraints
• Develop equipment requirements documents, coordinate vendor evaluations, and lead technical bid reviews
• Track equipment delivery schedules, manage vendor milestones, and elevate risks to meet production timelines
• Plan and execute equipment installation projects including site preparation, rigging, utility tie‑ins, and commissioning
• Work directly with contractors, OEMs, and internal trades to coordinate installation activities with minimal disruption to production
• Develop installation schedules, manage contractor scopes of work, and ensure quality and safety standards are met throughout the process
• Oversee Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) and Site Acceptance Tests (SAT) to validate equipment performance against specifications

Operations & Maintenance

• Develop and implement comprehensive maintenance strategies - preventive, predictive, and reliability‑centered - to maximize equipment availability and performance
• Troubleshoot complex equipment issues and drive root cause analysis to implement sustainable corrective actions
• Establish and manage spare parts inventory, maintenance resource allocation, and contractor support plans
• Develop and track equipment KPIs including MTTR (Mean Time To Repair), MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures), and OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)

Project & Stakeholder Management

• Create and manage equipment budgets covering capital purchases, installation labor, parts, and ongoing contractor costs
• Partner with Production, Facilities, and Engineering teams to align equipment plans with production schedules and facility readiness
• Lead equipment improvement projects to enhance reliability, reduce operating costs, and support capacity growth
• Ensure compliance with safety protocols, lock‑out/tag‑out procedures, and all applicable regulatory requirements

Basic Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in equipment engineering, capital project execution, or manufacturing maintenance in a high‑tech or aerospace production environment
• Knowledge of maintenance best practices and industry standards (e.g., TPM, RCM)
• Understanding of mechanical, electrical, pneumatic/hydraulic, and control systems as applied to industrial production equipment
• Experience managing contractors and coordinating multi‑trade installation activities
• Experience with safety systems and…