Director of Engineering, Manufacturing

Location: Playa Vista, California, United States

Department: Manufacturing

Who We Are: 

Eras of humanity can often be defined by a dominant transportation mode - horse drawn chariots, ocean going boats, or aircraft. These were spurred by a small group of people rigorously focused on building technology to achieve faster access to more of the world.  We seek to usher in a new era of humanity defined by universal access to the whole globe free of borders and the presence of a routine way from space to Earth. To do this, we are building highly maneuverable re-entry vehicles that can loiter in orbit before precision landing back on Earth.  

Position Overview: 

We are seeking a Director of Engineering, Manufacturing to own all manufacturing at Inversion. This leader will be responsible for the full manufacturing ecosystem across the company — including precision machining, harnessing, mechanical assembly, and parachute systems. 

You will build and scale a world-class aerospace manufacturing organization that is efficient, cost-effective, quality-driven, and capable of supporting flight hardware at increasing production rates. 

You will drive operational excellence, production planning, workforce scaling, capital strategy, and process optimization across all manufacturing disciplines. 

This role reports directly to executive leadership and will be a core member of the company’s technical leadership team. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Manufacturing Strategy & Scale 

• Transition programs from development to repeatable production 

• Define make vs. buy strategy across all subsystems 

• Drive capacity planning, rate readiness, and production forecasting 

Operational Excellence 

• Establish lean manufacturing systems across machining, avionics, harnessing, and parachutes 

• Reduce cycle time, improve yield, and optimize throughput 

• Implement KPIs for safety, quality, cost, and delivery 

• Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions 

Machine Shop & Fabrication 

• Oversee precision CNC machining operations (5-axis capability) 

• Ensure alignment between manufacturing engineering and shop floor execution 

• Drive programming standards, tooling strategy, and fixture optimization 

Avionics & Harness Manufacturing 

• Implement scalable harness fabrication processes with strong QA controls 

• Improve repeatability and documentation for flight hardware 

Parachutes & Soft Goods Manufacturing 

• Develop production and inspection standards for parachute systems 

• Ensure quality and traceability for critical recovery hardware 

• Build scalable soft goods manufacturing capability 

People & Leadership 

• Build and lead a high-performing manufacturing organization 

• Develop frontline leaders and technical experts 

• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and urgency 

• Partner closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Flight Operations 

Infrastructure & Capital 

• Define capital equipment strategy and facility layout 

• Support facility expansion planning 

• Implement MRP/ERP and production tracking systems 

Required Qualifications: 

• 10+ years of experience in aerospace manufacturing, including leadership roles 

• Proven experience scaling hardware production from prototype to flight or production rate 

• Deep understanding of machining, assembly, and aerospace quality standards 

• Experience overseeing cross-functional manufacturing disciplines (electrical + mechanical) 

• Strong background in lean manufacturing and process optimization 

• Experience building organizations from the ground up 

• Familiarity with aerospace regulatory and quality frameworks 

• Ability to operate in a fast-paced startup environment with evolving priorities 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Experience in launch vehicles, spacecraft, re-entry systems, or high-reliability aerospace hardware 

• Experience standing up new manufacturing facilities 

• Advanced engineering degree (Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or related field) 

The California annual base salary for this role is currently $175,000-$244,000 Pay Grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data.  Individual pay will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job-related skills, relevant education and experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity.

Our office headquarters is located in Playa Vista, CA. This position requires in office presence.