
Staff Operations Engineer
Stratolaunch · Mojave, CA
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Production
- Base pay
- $131k–$150k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 8+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 2 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A senior production role at Stratolaunch (aerospace & defense) in Mojave, CA. You will accept a critical role in achieving new milestones in aviation and enable development of high-speed test vehicles to be air-launched from Stratolaunch Carrier Aircraft.
- They ask for
- 8+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Assembly lines
- Base pay
- $131k–$150k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 9, 2026
Production Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $131k–$180k. This one lists $131k–$150k.
Median of the low and high ends of 66 live postings that list pay, out of 151 production 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 150 other live production postings in California.
- Base pay
- About 5% below similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (8+ vs 5+)
Typical $121k–$175k, from 54 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ New product launch 38%
- Lean 32%
- Root cause 30%
- Automation 25%
- ✓ Team leadership 23%
- Python 22%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Assembly lines, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
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
Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at Stratolaunch
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 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.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 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
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: Stratolaunch in Mojave
8 other open roles at this site.
- Facilities Technician · Reliability · Technician
- Environmental Test Engineering Technician · Manufacturing
- Avionics Engineering Technician · Manufacturing
- Aircraft Maintenance Manager · Reliability · Manager
- Materials & Process Engineer · Process
- Engineering Technician – EMI/EMC Testing · Manufacturing
Full description from StratolaunchAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Assist in the implementation of test strategy and objectives, test plans, test procedures, and mission cards for ground and flight testing for high-speed test vehicles
- ◆Coordinate closely with vehicle engineering team to identify system safety and operational concerns
- ◆Interface with multiple engineers, vehicle crew chiefs and ground support personnel to ensure operational priorities are understood and executed
- ◆Provide organization and preparation in support of Test & Flight Readiness Reviews
- ◆Identify test hazards and develop / implement real time mitigation actions
- ◆Support Talon vehicle maintenance & test teams to fulfil operational necessities
- ◆Control on-vehicle priorities and schedules to meet final assembly, test, and flight readiness
requirements
- ✓Work closely with the respective vehicle Crew Chiefs to ensure proper vehicle configuration and maintenance is complete to support mission priorities
- ✓Assist with functional system test planning and execution in areas such as avionics, flight control actuation, recovery systems, propulsion integration and propulsion system demonstration activities
- ✓Work with Carrier Aircraft operations teams to ensure successful vehicle mating and integrated systems testing is accomplished
- ✓Respond to emergency situations to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment while assisting as point of contact for first responders; act as mission manager for operations in case of an incident
- ✓Support execution of integrated vehicle ground test activities
- ✓Contribute to high-speed vehicle test data gathering and ensure test results are appropriately reviewed, documented, and controlled
- ✓Provide inputs to refine and mature the high-speed vehicle Concept of Operations including ground and flight operational procedures, timelines, checklists, and emergency response actions, starting from vehicle post manufacture initial testing through recovery of vehicles and return to flight ready state
- ✓Participate in payload customer meetings, including meetings for payload integration/de-integration planning, integrated vehicle testing and data product delivery
- ✓Facilitate payload hardware and software integration and integrated test on high-speed test vehicles
- ✓Assist in evaluation of risks and risk mitigation plans to determine if the risks are appropriate and risk mitigations are adequate
- ✓Travel, as needed, to support design, mission planning, mission execution, and other tasks
- ✓Demonstrate integrity, accountability, and initiative to fulfill commitments
- ✓Develop concept of operations for all launch and recovery locations. This includes coordination among many different teams and external parties
Qualifications
- ✓To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The
requirements
listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:
Required
- ✓Proven technical aerospace leadership experience, including supervision and training in a technical operations environment with a focus on execution readiness
- ✓Aptitude to analyze and prioritize tasks on their own initiative, and drive projects to completion, to fit within overall business goals
- ✓Ability to lead a large team, make decisions, communicate requirements, and quickly adapt to changing priorities/real world conditions
- ✓Previous experience with new, experimental, or modified aircraft, launch vehicles or spacecraft, technical and safety review boards, and configuration control methods
- ✓Experience with engineering, scheduling, and test data analysis tools
- ✓Knowledge of risk management or safety management systems
- ✓Have excellent written and verbal communication skills
- ✓Be able to work irregular hours and workdays, and travel periodically
- ✓US Citizenship / Ability to obtain and maintain a secret security clearance
- ✓Critical thinking skills, and problem-solving attitude a must
requirements
verification and development of
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Stratolaunch accelerates the development of next-generation aerospace and defense technologies through reusable hypersonic flight testing. Our autonomous, air-launched Talon-A vehicles provide access to operationally realistic flight environments at speeds exceeding Mach 5, delivering critical data that helps customers validate system performance and advance technologies toward deployment. Our team brings together expertise in engineering, manufacturing, and flight operations to solve complex challenges and advance capabilities essential to national security.
As an Operations Engineer , you will accept a critical role in achieving new milestones in aviation and enable development of high-speed test vehicles to be air-launched from Stratolaunch Carrier Aircraft. You will provide effective leadership as the focal point for high-speed vehicle operations planning and execution, to include the potential to act as the liaison to the Test Director for vehicle and mission readiness. You should have experience in test vehicle configuration control, test planning and resourcing, and conducting disciplined, effective developmental flight test operations, or similar experience in a technically demanding high pace environment.
As a key member of the Stratolaunch team, you will have an essential role in meeting our ambitious company objectives. You must establish and maintain effective relationships with colleagues on a small, agile design-to-flight team. You will be challenged with bringing unique and complex aircraft from initial airworthiness to operational use at a company that believes in giving our team members the authority and responsibility to succeed.
Preferred
- +Bachelor’s degree in engineering, or similar technical foundation
- +Professional Flight Test Course
- +Knowledge of launch vehicle or aircraft
