Composites and Airframe Build Lead

ABOUT US:Astro Mechanica is a vertically integrated aerospace company developing a scalable technology platform to power critical infrastructure, mission operations, and the future of flight. We apply aerospace engineering and quality standards across our products, delivering high performance, reliability, and efficiency for the most demanding operating environments. Astro Mechanica is backed by leading venture and strategic investors, including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Giant Step Capital, United Airlines Ventures, and Voyager Ventures.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:You are an experienced composites technician that is excited by the challenge of establishing new processes, growing a highly capable team, and standing up a manufacturing line. You are well versed in a variety of composites manufacturing methods from either aerospace, marine or advanced automotive industries and can quickly and effectively identify which processes and techniques will yield the best results. You are comfortable providing design for manufacturing feedback to engineers and all technical partners. The ideal person for this role will help write the composites manufacturing playbook, not just follow it.WHAT YOU’LL DO:Lead Astro Mechanica's composite technicians day to day on the floor, setting the standard for workmanship and holding the team to itHelp build the team: interview candidates, onboard and train new technicians, develop a skills matrix, and grow people into harder workHelp stand up Astro Mechanica's airframe manufacturing operation from scratch, including facilities, workflows, tooling concepts, equipment and consumables needs, with a focus on both rapid implementation and future scalabilityRun the daily build: sequence the work, assign the crew, track progress against milestones, and raise blockers before they cost schedulePerform and supervise layup, bagging, infusion, cure, bonding, trimming, drilling, and assembly of airframe structureOwn the condition of molds, layup tools, and assembly fixtures in the shop, and coordinate repair or replacement with the tool design teamWork shoulder to shoulder with the Airframe Manufacturing Engineers and Airframe Design Engineers to turn build plans into process that actually runs on the floorFeed engineering real build data: what is slow, what is fragile, and what the drawing does not account forEstablish and improve shop practice around material handling, out-time control, kitting, cleanliness, consumables, and cure recordsCheck your team's work in process and at completion, document non-conformances honestly, and help find and fix the causeOwn safety and housekeeping in the composite shop, including PPE and respirator discipline, chemical handling and storage, and hazard reportingSupport first article builds and help define what good looks like on parts nobody has made beforeTrain the team as new processes and materials come in, and write the documentation that makes those processes repeatableHelp scale the shop as build rate grows, with a view on headcount, equipment, and floor layoutWHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:10+ years of hands-on composite fabrication in aerospace, defense, marine, motorsports, or another high-performance build environment, with at least 2 of those years directing the work of other techniciansA track record of building a hands-on crew: interviewing, onboarding, training, setting the workmanship bar, and holding people to itDeep personal command of prepreg and wet layup, vacuum bagging, resin infusion, oven and autoclave cure, and secondary bondingPractical experience with core materials including honeycomb, foam, and syntactic, covering splicing, potting, and core-to-skin bond qualityStrong trimming, drilling, sanding, fairing, and fitting skills, plus the judgment to tell when a surface or edge is genuinely good enoughExperience joining composite detail parts into larger structure: bond prep, adhesive bonding, shimming, and fastener installationComfort working alongside metallic detail parts, weldments, and machined fittings, including composite-to-metal jointsCare and keeping of molds, layup tools, and assembly fixtures, including prep, release systems, minor repair, and knowing when a tool is no longer fit to build onAbility to work directly from engineering drawings, ply books, CAD models, and evolving build definitionsAbility to write and improve work instructions that a new technician can actually followExperience running builds to a schedule: sequencing the work, staffing it, flagging risk early, and keeping a crew productiveOwnership of quality at the source, including in-process checks, first article support, and honest records of what was actually builtDemonstrated experience and strong desire to work closely with engineering on the shop floor, including the confidence to say when a design cannot be built as drawnPhysically able to do the work: full shifts on your feet, lifting, respirator use, and moving in and around large structuresExperience standing up a composite shop or a new build cell from scratch, including equipment, consumables, layout, and processTime spent in a development or prototype shop where the build definition changed week to weekPERKS & BENEFITS:Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, including Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)401(k) program and transparent stock option planSelf-managed and flexible time-off policy, including PTO, paid holidays, and sick timeFlexible work environmentADDITIONAL 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.