Position Overview Parallax Space is seeking a Principal Manufacturing Engineer to architect, implement, and scale manufacturing capabilities across satellite systems, subsystems, and critical space components. This foundational technical leader will build the production architecture, manufacturing engineering organization, factory infrastructure, and disciplined processes required to progress from early builds to sustained rate manufacturing.

The ideal candidate has personally built manufacturing operations, can translate product designs into controlled and repeatable processes, and is equally effective defining strategy, leading teams, and solving technical problems on the production floor. The mandate is to industrialize complex space hardware with a focus on throughput, quality, cost, and scalability.

Key Responsibilities Manufacturing Strategy & Production Architecture

Develop manufacturing strategy and production ramp plans supporting increasing satellite and component output.

Architect work cells, assembly lines, factory layouts, production flows, and repeatable operating concepts.

Model takt time, cycle time, throughput, work-in-process, capacity, staffing, and capital equipment needs.

Introduce lean manufacturing and industrial-engineering methods to transition from low-volume builds to standardized production.

Define manufacturing maturity milestones and production readiness criteria across programs.

Manufacturing Systems & Robust Processes

Establish documented, controlled manufacturing processes, work instructions, routings, travelers, inspection gates, and training standards.

Lead implementation and integration of MES, ERP/MRP, PLM, digital work instructions, and production data systems.





Implement serialized traceability, material control, configuration management, and complete as-built records.

Develop process qualification and verification approaches; deploy error-proofing and controls to reduce variability and rework.

Create operational dashboards for real-time visibility into status, yield, throughput, and bottlenecks.

Rate Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

Design and balance production cells against takt and demand; establish labor standards and measurable cycle times.

Plan and execute production ramps, capacity expansions, and constraint-removal initiatives.

Improve first-pass yield, schedule attainment, recurring labor hours, inventory flow, and cost per unit.

Deploy root cause analysis, PFMEA, corrective actions, process capability analysis, and statistical controls where appropriate.

Maintain a data-driven improvement roadmap spanning labor, quality, equipment utilization, and production throughput.

Factory Infrastructure, Tooling & Automation

Specify, procure, commission, and qualify production equipment, assembly fixtures, tooling, and ground support equipment.

Develop facility and cell requirements for cleanroom operations, ESD, contamination control, FOD prevention, and calibrated equipment.

Partner with integration and test engineering to optimize build, functional test,



and environmental test flow.

Evaluate automation and capital investments using sound economic and production-rate trade studies.

Develop factory standards and modular systems that can be replicated across programs, products, and sites.

Manufacturing Team Development & Technical Leadership

Build and mentor a high-performing manufacturing engineering organization, including staffing and competency plans.

Define responsibilities and interfaces with production, product engineering, quality, supply chain, and integration and test.

Act as senior technical authority on manufacturing methods, producibility, process controls, and rate readiness.

Lead cross-functional problem solving, technical reviews, personnel development, and recruiting.

Cultivate hands-on execution, accountability, operational discipline, and continuous improvement.

Recent Product Introduction & Product Industrialization

Partner with design teams early to drive DFMA, commonality, assembly simplicity, and manufacturable architectures.

Plan the transition from prototypes and engineering models through qualification to recurring flight production.

Develop MBOMs, production routings, process specifications, tooling plans, make/buy inputs, and labor estimates.

Manage manufacturing impacts of engineering changes and production configuration baselines.

Identify manufacturing risks and drive practical mitigations before rate production.

Quality & Reliability

Build quality into the process rather than depending on downstream inspection.

Implement AS9100-aligned practices and relevant customer, NASA, and IPC

📌 Principal Manufacturing Engineer (Prince Edward Island)
🏢 Parallax Space
📍 Prince Edward Island