Director, Factory Deployment

Apex Technology, Inc.•Los Angeles, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Spacecraft represent the most pressing unmet need across the entire aerospace industry. As more launch vehicles come online and the cost to orbit decreases, more companies launching payloads to space continue to emerge. For the first time in history, this influx of payload companies combined with reduced launch costs has resulted in a massive increase in need for commercial spacecraft platforms, known as satellite buses. These buses hold the payloads of our customers and are flown on launch vehicles. Apex manufactures these satellite buses at scale using a combination of software, vertical integration, and hardware that is designed for manufacturing. Our spacecraft enable the future of society: ranging from earth observation to communications and more. We’d love for you to join us on our mission of providing humankind access to the galaxy beyond our planet. We are seeking a Director of Factory Deployment to lead the global rollout of Apex’s manufacturing capability. This role is responsible for standing up new factories domestically and internationally by replicating our existing production environment, ensuring speed, consistency, and operational excellence. This is a high-impact, program-driven role focused on execution—owning the end-to-end deployment of new manufacturing sites, from planning through launch. Once a factory is successfully deployed, this role will also drive process documentation and standardization, enabling repeatable, scalable expansion.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in manufacturing, production systems, or industrial engineering
Proven experience scaling or standing up complex manufacturing operations (aerospace, defense, automotive, or high-reliability hardware)
Experience building or standardizing manufacturing systems across multiple lines, sites, or programs
U.S. Person status is required as this position needs to access export-controlled data
Deep understanding of manufacturing systems, production workflows, and factory design
Experience with high-reliability, mission-critical hardware production environments
Familiarity with supply chain integration, QA/QC systems, and production testing
Demonstrated ability to build systems in ambiguous, fast-paced environments
Strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder alignment skills
Operates as a “systems thinker” who can connect strategy to execution

Nice To Haves

Experience in space or satellite manufacturing
Experience deploying manufacturing systems across multiple facilities or geographies
Exposure to MES, digital manufacturing, or factory automation

Responsibilities

Act as the product owner for factory deployments, managing timelines, budgets, and cross-functional execution
Coordinate across manufacturing, supply chain, facilities, IT, and leadership
Identify risks early and drive issue resolution across multiple stakeholders and geographies
Build and manage deployment roadmaps, trackers, and executive-level reporting
Lead the end-to-end deployment of new factory sites globally, including international locations
Translate Apex’s existing factory infrastructure into a repeatable deployment model
Oversee site readiness across facilities, equipment, systems, and workforce ramp-up
Ensure each site launches on time, on budget, and aligned to Apex production standards
Capture and document the end-to-end factory setup process after each deployment
Develop a scalable, repeatable factory deployment playbook
Drive continuous improvement to reduce time-to-deploy and cost per site
Partner with internal teams to transition deployed factories into steady-state operations
Collaborate with the Octopus Factory Systems team
Support the deployment of Apex manufacturing systems across new sites, programs, or external partners
Participate in technical scoping and implementation planning for new manufacturing environments
Ensure successful transfer of systems, processes, and operational readiness
Identify bottlenecks and drive simplification, standardization, and efficiency improvements
Establish KPIs and performance metrics across manufacturing systems
Implement continuous improvement loops across internal and replicated production environments

Benefits

Receive equity in Apex, letting you benefit from the work you create
100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision for you and your dependents, plus $100k life insurance at no cost
Comprehensive PTO package to reset and recharge - starting at 15 days vacation, growing to 20+ days annually, plus 10 paid holidays
Competitive 401(k) plan with generous matching - 100% match on first 3%, 50% on next 2%
8 weeks paid parental leave plus childcare reimbursement up to $350/day for work-related travel
Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks to keep you fueled throughout the day
Vibrant community: Monthly office BBQs, pickleball tournaments, run club, and social gatherings for you and your family
Your dream desk setup and all the tools you need to be your most productive self
World-class Playa Vista office with EV chargers, with the benefit of in-person collaboration with amazing coworkers and flexibility to integrate work and life
Work alongside experts from aerospace, new space, and other cutting-edge industries to make a lasting difference