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Director, Manufacturing Architecture

Muon Space · San Jose, CA

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Level
Director+
Team
Manufacturing
Base pay
$261k–$292k
Experience asked
8+ years
Industry
Aerospace & defense
Posted
30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A director-level manufacturing role at Muon Space (aerospace & defense) in San Jose, CA.

They ask for
8+ years
Tools it names
TPM, MES
Base pay
$261k–$292k

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026

Manufacturing Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $114k–$167k. This one lists $261k–$292k.

Median of the low and high ends of 117 live postings that list pay, out of 320 manufacturing engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 319 other live manufacturing postings in California.

Base pay
About 107% above similar roles

Typical $111k–$157k, from 105 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
More than usual (8+ vs 5+)

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • Tooling 53%
  • ✓ New product launch 51%
  • Root cause 40%
  • Automation 35%
  • Machining 29%
  • CATIA / NX 29%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for TPM, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.

It asks for 8+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

  1. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Muon Space

    We found 2 people at this company and state: 2 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓

  2. 2

    Send a short, curious note

    One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.

    Write to Paul → (free)
  3. 3

    Turn a reply into a short call

    Questions worth asking about this team:

    • What does a normal week look like on your team?
    • Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
    • How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 4

    Apply with someone vouching for you

    If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.

  5. 5

    Bring proof to the interview

    One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

This plant: Muon Space in San Jose

8 other open roles at this site · 2 people we found in manufacturing roles at Muon Space.

All 9 roles at Muon Space →
Full description from Muon SpaceAs posted on their careers site.Show

About the role

Muon seeks a highly experienced Director of Manufacturing Architecture to own and evolve the systems, tools, and processes that our entire spacecraft production engine runs on - PLM, MES, scheduling, and the connective tissue between them. As we scale, we're investing in a next-generation production infrastructure, and we're looking for someone who has built up and driven production systems before to lead that effort - architecting from the ground up where needed, and building on the foundation we already have.

The central challenge is versatility: our production infrastructure has to serve three different modes at once: serial/rate production, new product introduction (NPI), and rapid prototyping. You'll architect an infrastructure and operating model that flexes across all three, enabling teams to move quickly on a prototype and repeatedly on a rate build using the same coherent, easy-to-adopt backbone.

This person will be a key member of the team and will collaborate closely with Muon Space's head of production, assembly, integration & test (AI&T), quality, supply chain, and mission engineering teams. This role owns the infrastructure layer those production teams depend on.

This position is hybrid and requires working on-site in our San Jose, CA office three days per week.

Responsibilities

  • ◆Own the production infrastructure definition end-to-end - PLM, MES, scheduling, and the integrations between them - and drive it into a robust, scalable, well-documented backbone that grows with the company.
  • ◆Architect for the long term and build pragmatically: assess what exists, build on the parts that work well, and stand up new capabilities where needed - while keeping the system simple and intuitive to adopt.
  • ◆Design infrastructure capable of accommodating rate production, NPI, and rapid prototyping work. One coherent system that supports both repeatability at scale and speed at the bleeding edge.
  • ◆Partner with the production and supply chain teams to define the workflows, data models, and processes the tools should enforce, rather than bolting tools onto undefined processes.
  • ◆Establish the standards, templates, and reusable artifacts (BOM/part/change management, routings, work instructions, scheduling frameworks) that programs and Production TPMs can adopt across missions instead of reinventing them.
  • ◆Make the systems easy to learn: drive documentation, training, and onboarding so new engineers and TPMs can ramp quickly and rely on the tools with confidence.
  • ◆Build dashboards and data integrations that give production and leadership clear, real-time visibility into build status, capacity, and constraints across programs.
  • ◆Coordinate cross-functionally with Information Systems, quality, and supply chain to ensure the infrastructure integrates cleanly with adjacent systems and controls.
  • ◆Proactively identify and strengthen the critical paths and dependencies in the production stack; drive the roadmap and any migrations without disrupting active builds.
  • ◆Serve as the integrating owner of production infrastructure - the single point of contact for how spacecraft get planned, tracked, and built through our systems.

Qualifications

  • ✓B.S. in an engineering discipline (M.S. preferred), or equivalent technical experience - a genuine technical background is required.
  • ✓8+ years of relevant experience in manufacturing/production, production engineering, and/or technical program management, with significant time spent building up and driving production operations.
  • ✓Demonstrated track record of standing up, scaling, or overhauling production infrastructure (PLM, MES, scheduling/ERP, and their integrations) into a scalable, maintainable system.
  • ✓Deep, hands-on experience across multiple production modes - high-rate/serial production, NPI, and prototype/development builds - and an understanding of how infrastructure must differ and flex to serve each.
  • ✓Strong grasp of production fundamentals: BOM/part/change management, routings, work instructions, MRP/scheduling, and shop-floor execution.
  • ✓Proven ability to design systems and processes that are simple, intuitive, and easy for teams to learn and trust.
  • ✓Experience partnering with IT/tools teams on system selection, configuration, and integration.
  • ✓Excellent analytical and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work successfully across engineering, production, quality, and supply chain.
  • ✓Leadership experience or clear readiness to lead - this role has a path to managing the Production TPM team.
  • ✓Nice to have: spacecraft or aerospace/high-reliability hardware production experience; experience scaling an organization from prototype to rate production.

Salary

About Muon Space

Founded in 2021, Muon Space is an end-to-end Space Systems Provider that designs, builds, and operates LEO satellite constellations delivering mission-critical data. Our revolutionary, integrated technology stack enables customers to optimize every dimension of their missions for faster time-to-orbit and superior constellation remote sensing performance. Our state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Silicon Valley is optimized for manufacturing spacecraft and rapid, flexible payload integration at scale. From climate monitoring to national security, Muon Space is dedicated to delivering Earth Intelligence for a safer and more resilient world.

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