Airframe Manufacturing Lead

ABOUT US: Astro Mechanica is a vertically integrated aerospace company building a faster, more connected future. Our mission is to democratize high-speed flight by making supersonic travel flexible, accessible, and sustainable. We believe that rapid, on-demand, point-to-point global mobility will become the new standard for moving people and goods across the planet. To achieve this, we are integrating our advanced airframe and engine technologies—which include Duality™, our proprietary dual-use propulsion system—with a new flight operations model to make supersonic transport as efficient and economical as commercial air travel is today. In the near term, we are developing adaptable, high-speed systems to close aircraft performance gaps for the United States government. WHO WE ARE: We’re a team of passionate engineers dedicated to advancing aerospace. We’re generalists with specialist depth, united by a flat structure and a shared obsession with building things that work well. We move fast, stay pragmatic, and let engineering excellence speak louder than hierarchy. WHO YOU ARE: - A hands-on airframe manufacturing leader with deep expertise in composite structures and bonded assemblies - Comfortable building a manufacturing function from the ground up—facilities, processes, tooling, and teams - A tactical leader who thrives on the shop floor, leading by example and mentoring technicians through complex builds WHAT YOU’LL DO: You will own Astro Mechanica’s supersonic plane build. Working with our Director of Manufacturing, you’ll lead a team turning designs into real hardware, making sure parts get built, assemblies come together, and problems get solved efficiently as the airplane takes shape. - Work with senior engineering leadership to stand up Astro Mechanica’s airframe manufacturing function from scratch, including facilities, workflows, tooling concepts, and technician teams - Own day-to-day operations of in-house airframe manufacturing, with a focus on composite structures and assemblies - Work directly with the airframe engineering and design teams to translate designs, analyses, and requirements into executable manufacturing plans - Partner closely with senior engineering leadership to align manufacturing strategy with program goals, schedules, and technical risk reduction - Lead, schedule, and develop composite technicians and fabricators while maintaining a strong hands-on presence on the shop floor - Supervise and coordinate layup, bonding, curing, trimming, assembly, and rework activities to meet aggressive development milestones - Establish and continuously improve work instructions, build sequences, tooling approaches, and process documentation - Ensure safe and effective operation of composite manufacturing equipment including autoclaves, ovens, freezers, layup tools, trimming equipment, and inspection tools - Drive a culture of quality, accountability, and pride in workmanship across the airframe manufacturing team WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR: - 10+ years of experience in high-mix, low-volume composite manufacturing, prototyping, or airframe fabrication, preferably in aerospace or defense - Strong hands-on knowledge of composite materials and processes (prepreg layup, wet layup, bonding, curing, trimming, and repair) - Strong hands-on knowledge of metallic materials and processing - Practical experience working with metallic airframe components and composite-to-metal interfaces - Experience building or scaling manufacturing operations, labs, or shops in a development or flight hardware environment - Proven ability to lead and mentor technicians while staying deeply engaged in the technical details - Ability to work directly from engineering drawings, ply books, CAD models, and evolving build definitions - Familiarity with aerospace quality standards, inspection practices, and documentation for flight and test hardware - Practical, execution-focused leadership style with comfort navigating ambiguity and rapid change - Ambition to build real flight hardware in a fast-moving, high-accountability environment PERKS & BENEFITS: - Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, including Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) - 401(k) program and transparent stock option plan - Self-managed and flexible time-off policy, including PTO, paid holidays, and sick time - Flexible work environment ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: At Astro Mechanica, we highly value in-office work to foster collaboration and strengthen our company culture. We consider working in the office five days a week an essential part of the employee's role. Astro Mechanica is an equal opportunity employer. We proudly recruit and hire a diverse workforce and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.