Sr Manufacturing Engineer - Process Development

Sierra Space•Broomfield, CO

22h•$132,933 - $182,782

About The Position

As a Sr Manufacturing Engineer in the Solar Power group, you will be part of a team responsible for the build and integration of solar array systems that power spacecraft in all sectors of the space economy. Sierra Space has developed and patented novel pick-and-place surface mount solar cell technology which is revolutionizing the way space solar power systems are built. You will be a part of the team that is tasked with scaling the process to enable world-class high-volume production and test of solar power systems, ranging from static single-panel arrays up to large multi-panel deployable arrays. This is a process improvement focused role, which will have a wide ranging scope of ownership over the implementation of new technologies, processes, equipment, facility build outs, and automation to support aggressive rate targets for the factory. This will include working closely with the R&D team to take novel technologies into production, running manufacturing validation campaigns, developing process requirements, selecting equipment, and coordinating roll out to the floor with the ME and operations teams. This role will touch every workcenter across the factory, from the SMT line to array integration and test, in search of efficiency gains. Additionally, this role will leverage data analytics skills and statistical process control to monitor the factory and identify areas where improvement is required and understand the impact of process changes on key performance metrics.

Requirements

Requires Bachelor's degree in a related field (or equivalent work experience in lieu of degree or Masters +6 yrs experience).
Typically 8+ years of related experience.
Extensive experience in designing and optimizing manufacturing processes.
Expertise in advanced manufacturing technologies and Industry 4.0 concepts.
Extensive experience in manufacturing operations.
Expertise in diagnosing complex manufacturing issues and providing solutions.
Proficiency in advanced CAD software (ex: NX).
Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
Ability to lead tasking of manufacturing teams.
Knowledge of predictive manufacturing techniques, such as process monitoring and analysis.
Strong project management and budgeting skills.

Nice To Haves

Passion for advancing the state of the art of space solar power
Strong work ethic and drive to succeed
Experience mentoring and training less experienced team members
Willingness to work occasional long hours and weekends
Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding start-up atmosphere
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
Demonstrated ability to create and implement processes from the ground up, with strong communication skills to engage a diverse team
Proven track record in a space or aerospace manufacturing setting.
Experience working in advanced MES systems
Experience producing J-STD-001 Class 2, IPC-A-610 Class 2 or equivalent hardware
Experience working with space power systems, complex subassembly builds, or vehicle integration
Experience with surface mount technology and PCBA manufacturing
Experience with data analysis tools such as SQL and PowerBI

Responsibilities

Working across all processes and workcenters within the factory, including power module manufacturing on the SMT line, power module laydown operations, and solar array integration
Identifying and spearheading process changes, design improvements and automation projects to support rate and capacity increase initiatives
Conceptualizing, selecting, and bringing online new tools and equipment to support process improvement initiatives, working closely with production operations, industrial engineering, and facilities
Program, operate, and train technicians on automated equipment during initial standup
Assisting with workcenter development and layout alongside the industrial engineering team, to optimize capacity and product flow
Working closely with the internal R&D team to follow material and process development to ensure new technology is manufacturable and facility and equipment needs are understood
Translating internal R&D processes into productionized processes and implementing out on the floor
Guiding specification development associated with process changes
Training the ME and technician teams on process changes
Develop and driving implementation of design for manufacturability (DFM) guidelines to maximize standardization and compatibility with existing processes and equipment
Developing and monitoring production data sources to target areas for process improvement and to understand change impact