Sr. Staff, Sustaining Engineering Lead

The Company
Astra's mission is to Improve Life on Earth from Space® by creating a healthier and more connected planet. Today, Astra offers one of the lowest cost-per-launch dedicated orbital launch services of any operational launch provider in the world, and one of the industry's first flight-proven electric propulsion systems for satellites, Astra Spacecraft Engine™. Astra delivered its first commercial launch to low Earth orbit in 2021, making it the fastest company in history to reach this milestone, just five years after it was founded in 2016. Astra (NASDAQ: ASTR) was the first space launch company to be publicly traded on Nasdaq.
The Team
Astra leads the industry in applying agile iterative development to space launch systems. Astra's Product Engineering team is at the center of this process: orchestrating the technical details for our current and future rockets, engaging in immediate and long-term analysis to determine what systems to build and when, leading technical teams in design and development, implement design for manufacturing methods, supporting sustaining engineering operations in manufacturing for our Launch System. We work in close collaboration with a wide spectrum of stakeholders both inside and outside of Astra, delivering answers bound by physics and engineering. Our input is vital to making sure we are building the right thing.
The Opportunity
This role will manage the overall technical sustainment of launch vehicle system in production and operation. Lead a team for supporting products in development and production, manage upgrades/improvements, and support launch operations. Our product-based teams support early development and definition, lead the design of critical hardware, develop operational plans and procedures, support tooling and fabrication design, manage risks, and work with assembly and operations personnel to test and deliver our systems within schedule and budget. Some of the areas you will contribute to include:
The Opportunity

• Own the overall technical sustainment of product from development thru production
• Sustaining engineering for launch vehicle stage development and manufacturing process development
• Deliver operational launch vehicle stage systems
• Provide technical oversight and authority for a range of hardware and manufacturing process solutions
• Work with manufacturing and mission assurance to improve processes and drive corrective and preventive actions from anomalies and discrepancies
• Oversee Issue tickets, drawing release, work orders, and test planning
• Input on design for manufacturing, design to cost, producibility, and test for the system

How You'll Fulfill This Mission

• Partner: with our Engineering, mission assurance and manufacturing teams to support launch vehicle production
• Build: the support processes to sustain launch system production and operations
• Collaborate: across the Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations and Mission Assurance organizations to produce, assemble and deliver products
• Develop: Create and oversee processes that will enable Astra to stay disciplined in sustainment of launch vehicle systems

Why We Value You

• Minimum of a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent STEM degree
• 7+ years of experience in product development and leadership
• Experience as a Sustaining engineering lead or Manufacturing Engineering lead
• Experience with CAD, drawings, and GD&T
• Experience with designing parts and choosing the appropriate manufacturing method (including machining, welding, brazing, metal forming)
• Demonstrated Design for Manufacturing and Design for Assembly experience
• Demonstrated technical expertise in at least 2 of the following areas: space-qualified launch vehicles, propulsion systems, fluid/mechanical systems, avionics, manufacturing, systems engineering, integration, and/or test
• Ability to lead projects and make solid decisions with incomplete data

Desired Multipliers

• Experience in process development
• Experience in manufacturing processes for aerospace or automobile systems
• Experience with Project Management (Cost & Schedule management)
• Complete product lifecycle experience (Requirements to Field Operations)
• Experience interfacing with external customers, subcontractors, suppliers

$169,000 - $222,000 a year
The stated compensation range reflects only the targeted base salary range in the San Francisco Bay Area and excludes additional earnings such as bonus, equity, and benefits. If your salary requirements fall outside of the range, we still encourage you to apply.
ITAR Requirements: This position requires compliance with U.S. Government space technology trade restrictions, specifically the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and additional regulations governing satellite, launch vehicle, missile, and other related technologies. All jobs restricted by these regulations will be contingent upon the applicant's status as a documented U.S. Person or their ability to receive a trade license from the cognizant government agency; in addition to any required company background checks and in compliance with applicable U.S. and California laws. Similarly, positions requiring the ability to work on government contracts or a security clearance are also contingent upon the applicants ability to receive the appropriate clearance and be allowed to work on U.S. government contracts.
You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Astra, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.
San Francisco Applicants: Astra will consider applicants with arrest and conviction records (criminal histories) in a manner consistent with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.