Operation Head - Satellites AIT

Requirements

• Key Responsibilities
• 1. AIT Process & Operations
• Set up and continuously improve SOPs across all AIT areas — NOVA Lab, ESS Lab, Structures Lab, and both clean rooms — covering the full build → qualify → integrate → checkout workflow.
• Own facility operational readiness: clean room discipline (ISO 7/ISO 8 protocols, change room, material airlock, dedusting), ESD control, and calibration/uptime of test equipment (vibration shaker, TVAC chamber, data acquisition systems).
• Define and maintain the AIT schedule for each satellite/payload, sequencing EM build, environmental qualification, flight-model integration, and checkout, together with the AIT Lead.
• Own test readiness reviews and non-conformance management at the programme level; own documentation and traceability (test logs, configuration records, End Item Data Packages).
• 2. Manufacturing Operations
• Own end-to-end manufacturing execution for GalaxEye's satellite programme — starting with single-satellite build cadence and building toward repeatable, constellation-rate production.
• Build production planning, workforce allocation, and capacity plans that scale the AIT floor from unit-build to series production.
• Partner with Design/Engineering on design-for-manufacture and design-for-test feedback as new satellites or payload variants move into build.
• Implement and own quality and safety systems appropriate to a high-reliability manufacturing environment (e.g., AS9100/ISO 9001-aligned processes, lab safety protocols).
• 3. Budget Planning & Cost Management
• Build and own the AIT floor's operating budget — equipment procurement, calibration and AMC/maintenance contracts, consumables and materials, tooling and fixtures, training and certification, and facility upkeep.
• Prepare budget forecasts and cost projections for each activity area (facility & labs, manufacturing execution, inventory, quality/compliance, team) aligned to the production plan, from single-satellite build through constellation-rate scale-up.
• Track actual spend against budget across the AIT floor; identify variances early and flag cost risks to leadership.
• Build the cost case and phasing for capacity investments — new equipment, tooling, facility upgrades — as build volume increases.
• Own budget inputs and projections for inventory, including procurement spend and carrying costs, in coordination with the Inventory Manager.
• 4. Inventory & Materials Management
• Own inventory outcomes for the AIT floor across both streams — build/flight parts and static test equipment — delivered day-to-day through the Inventory Manager.
• Ensure the Inventory Manager's rollout of ERP-based tracking and lot/serial traceability for flight parts lands on schedule and holds up under audit.
• Set inventory policy direction — stock norms, replenishment rules — as build cadence scales toward multiple satellites; coordinate with SCM/procurement on incoming material planning at the programme level.
• 5. Team Leadership
• Lead and develop the AIT Lead, Inventory Manager, and Ops & Maintenance staff; set the standards the AIT Lead applies to the technician team day-to-day.
• Act as the single escalation and coordination point across the ground floor — parts, facility readiness, access — since the AIT Lead does not coordinate Ops & Maintenance staff directly.
• Set performance standards and run training/certification programmes (cleanroom discipline, ESD handling, lab safety) across the ground floor.
• Build the process, tooling, and automation roadmap needed to move from single-satellite operations to constellation-cadence manufacturing.
• Drive continuous-improvement initiatives to reduce AIT cycle time per satellite without compromising quality.
• Candidate Profile
• Area
• Requirement
• Education
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace , Mechanical, Electronics, Industrial/Production Engineering, or a related field
• Experience
• R oughly 8 –10 years of overall experience, including significant experience leading manufacturing/production operations through a working lead/supervisor layer (not just individual contributors)
• Domain exposure
• Manufacturing/production operations in aerospace, defence, satellite, or high-reliability electronics; hands-on AIT or cleanroom environment exposure strongly preferred
• Budget & financial planning