Manufacturing Engineer - Space Solar Hardware

Manufacturing Engineer - Space Solar Hardware Position Details Location: Los Angeles (Hawthorne), CA Employment Type: Full-time Department: Starlight Solar Travel: Frequent About Starpath Starpath develops and manufactures the technologies that will enable humans to live on the Moon and Mars. Today, we are building robotic systems that locally produce the essential commodities a lunar civilization will require at extreme scale: water, power, and oxygen. Our ultimate goal is to build and operate a self-sustaining city on Mars. The Role The Starlight team is focused on dramatically improving space solar power to support Starpath's core mission and the greater space economy. Starlight manufactures the lowest cost and highest performance space solar ever, which will power the majority of new satellites built on Earth and all of Starpath's equipment on the Moon and Mars. As a Manufacturing Engineer on the Starlight team, you will develop and own the processes, tooling, and inspection techniques that enable us to manufacture space solar hardware at high rate and with uncompromising quality. ResponsibilitiesDevelop and perform acceptance testing of manufacturing processes, techniques, and tools to enable efficient and high-rate manufacturingDesign and implement precision tooling to eliminate assembly error, improve quality, and minimize cycle timeAutomate novel processes to ensure repeatability on high-rate manufacturing linesWork closely with design engineering teams to influence solar panel architecture with design for manufacturing (DFM) improvementsStand up in-process inspection methods, including automated approaches, to catch issues at the source and improve first-pass yieldLead the handoff of hardware from development into production, ensuring processes are documented, stable, and ready to scalePush back on unnecessary complexity - simplify specs, streamline workflows, and cut overhead wherever it doesn't add value Required QualificationsBachelor's or advanced degree in aerospace, manufacturing, materials, mechanical engineering, or a related engineering discipline1+ years of manufacturing and process design experience (internship and academic experience applicable) Preferred QualificationsMaster's degree in an engineering disciplineHands-on experience with mixed value stream or high-rate manufacturing lines, focusing on maximizing yield and increasing rateProficiency in mechanical assembly methods, testing, failure mode effects analysis, and troubleshootingPrior experience developing, maintaining, and improving weld processes and weld inspection techniques, including automationExperience using SQL or other data management tools to inform priorities and measure performanceExposure to aerospace, space, or other high-reliability hardware environments Compensation & BenefitsLocation: Los Angeles (Hawthorne), CACompetitive salary plus equity package; compensation scales with candidate experiencePTO & health/dental/vision coverage included EAR REQUIREMENTS:To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Equal Opportunity Starpath is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.