About the position
Project Kuiper is an initiative to increase global broadband access through a constellation of over 3,000 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). Its mission is to bring fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world. Project Kuiper will help close the digital divide by delivering fast, affordable broadband to a wide range of customers, including consumers, businesses, government agencies, and other organizations operating in places without reliable connectivity. The Kuiper Electronic Supply Chain team is seeking a Sr Operations Program Manager to drive technical manufacturing and supply chain operations for Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBA) destined for our satellites. The successful candidate will manage contract manufacturers' end-to-end production processes while maintaining a focus on quality and delivery requirements.
Responsibilities
- Manage contract manufacturers' end-to-end production process for assigned PCBAs
- Ensure on-time delivery to meet Kuiper production rate requirements
- Drive production planning and execution aligned with cross-functional priorities
- Measure, Control and Improve capacity, quality, manufacturing rate/processes, and delivery KPIs at contract manufacturers
- Lead technical deep dives to resolve manufacturing blockers and constraints
- Balance development and engineering needs to minimize production impacts
- Implement continuous improvement initiatives to optimize production efficiency
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and mitigate supply chain risks
- Develop and maintain supplier performance metrics and reporting systems
Requirements
- 5+ years of experience in technical program management, operations or supply chain roles
- 7+ years of experience working directly with engineering teams
- Experience managing programs and driving initiatives across cross-functional
- Technical understanding of PCBA manufacturing processes and materials, capacity assessments, and quality requirements
- Experience driving continuous improvement activities, and performing Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Correction of Errors (COE)
- Demonstrated ability to use data and metrics to drive decisions, evaluate trade-offs and provide path-to-green options
- Ability to handle multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Experience driving supplier development programs and manufacturing technology transfers
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 50% as required
Nice-to-haves
- Master's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain Management or related field
- Direct experience managing high-complexity electronics contract manufacturers, preferably in aerospace or defense industries
- Demonstrated success in implementing advanced manufacturing processes and quality systems in regulated industries
- Deep expertise in space-grade electronics manufacturing, including familiarity with J-STD-001 Space Addendum, IPC-A-610 Space Addendum, and AS9100 requirements
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification with demonstrated application in electronics manufacturing optimization
- Proficiency in statistical process control (SPC) and design of experiments (DOE)
- Demonstrated experience in lean manufacturing principles and kaizen events
Benefits
- 401k
- health_insurance
- dental_insurance
- vision_insurance
- life_insurance
- disability_insurance
- paid_holidays
- paid_volunteer_time
- tuition_reimbursement
- employee_stock_purchase_plan
- performance_bonus
- sign_on_bonus
- employee_discount_programs
