Project Manager, Manufacturing & Strategic Initiatives

Job description

***Please Note:**To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.* At **CesiumAstro**, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team. CesiumAstro is seeking a **Project Manager, Manufacturing & Strategic Initiatives** to lead manufacturing activation, equipment commissioning, production readiness, and operational ramp activities across the company’s expanding manufacturing footprint. This is a hands-on execution role for someone who understands what it takes to operate a production environment. Strong candidates may come from production, operations, maintenance, manufacturing engineering, or technical project leadership within aerospace, defense, technology hardware, semiconductor, automotive, aseptic manufacturing, high-volume production, or another complex technical industry. The Project Manager will translate manufacturing objectives into detailed execution plans and coordinate the people, equipment, facilities, vendors, and operating systems required to bring new production capabilities online. The initial focus will include developing the manufacturing activation plan through March 2027, followed by leading equipment installation, commissioning, qualification, and production ramp activities over the subsequent 12 months. This position must be equally comfortable developing an integrated schedule, working directly with engineers and equipment vendors, resolving issues on the production floor, and communicating risks and recommendations to executive leadership. This is not a desk-only project management role. The successful candidate will take ownership, work through operational details, and act when execution challenges arise. ### JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - Develop and manage the integrated manufacturing activation plan, including facility readiness, equipment delivery, installation, commissioning, qualification, and production ramp. - Translate long-range manufacturing objectives with Engineering, into detailed workplans, milestones, dependencies, ownership assignments, and readiness criteria. - Lead the transition from facility construction and infrastructure delivery into an operational manufacturing environment. - Coordinate equipment installation, utility connections, rigging, site acceptance, commissioning, and production handover. - Work with Quality, Production and Engineering to develop production ramp plans covering first article, process stabilization, throughput improvement, and achievement of planned production rates. - Ensure tooling, materials, maintenance support, work instructions, quality controls, safety requirements, and operator training are ready to support production. - Maintain a regular presence on the manufacturing floor during installation, commissioning, and ramp activities. - Work directly with production, engineering, maintenance, quality, facilities, and equipment vendors to identify and resolve execution issues. - Take practical action to maintain progress when equipment, process, material, staffing, or infrastructure problems arise. - Support equipment placement, installation, troubleshooting, testing, and operational readiness activities in accordance with company safety requirements. - Coordinate the safe use and movement of equipment, tooling, materials, and production assets. - Support Engineering during equipment integration, process development, first-article builds, and transition into repeatable production. - Serve as a primary operational interface with equipment manufacturers, integrators, rigging providers, contractors, and technical consultants. - Coordinate vendor schedules, site requirements, installation activities, acceptance testing, training, documentation, warranties, spare parts, and service support. - Confirm that equipment requirements are incorporated into facility, utility, layout, safety, and production planning. - Hold internal and external partners accountable for commitments while maintaining productive working relationships. - Build strong working relationships across Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Facilities, Operations, Finance, and executive leadership. - Understand the requirements of internal customers and convert those requirements into executable operational plans. - Navigate competing priorities while maintaining alignment around company-level manufacturing objectives. - Communicate effectively with production personnel, technical specialists, equipment vendors, functional leaders, and executives. - Lead through influence, credibility, accountability, and practical manufacturing experience. ### JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Industrial Technology, Business, another relevant field, or equivalent practical experience. - Minimum of 8 years of experience in manufacturing, production, operations, maintenance, engineering, project management, program management, or another complex technical operating environment. - Experience activating a greenfield facility, expanding a factory, or launching a new production line - Practical experience working in or directly supporting an active production operation. - Hands-on experience installing, commissioning, qualifying, troubleshooting, and bringing manufacturing equipment to planned production rates. - Working knowledge of manufacturing utilities, equipment maintenance, material flow, safety systems, production controls, and operator training. - Willingness and ability to work in active manufacturing environments and participate directly in installation, commissioning, and production-readiness activities while following applicable safety, training, and authorization requirements. ### PREFERRED EXPERIENCE - Experience as either a manufacturing leader or a highly accountable individual contributor with direct responsibility for production performance. - Experience in aerospace, defense, technology hardware, semiconductor, automotive, aseptic manufacturing, high-volume production, or another high-reliability technical industry. - Hands-on experience installing, commissioning, qualifying, troubleshooting, and bringing manufacturing equipment to planned production rates. - Experience coordinating equipment manufacturers, systems integrators, rigging providers, contractors, and other technical vendors. - Experience supporting new-product introduction, process development, first-article builds, or the transition of engineering designs into repeatable production. - Experience activating a greenfield facility, expanding a factory, or launching a new production line. - Experience safely using common hand and power tools in an industrial environment. - Forklift or material-handling equipment experience, certification, or ability to obtain required certification. - Experience with Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, root-cause analysis, production KPIs, or data-driven problem solving. - Experience coordinating cross-functional teams, schedules, risks, and operational dependencies. - Demonstrated ability to develop detailed execution plans and maintain progress under changing priorities. - Strong interpersonal, stakeholder-management, written, and verbal communication skills. - Ability to understand internal customer requirements and build productive relationships across technical and operational teams.