Composites and Airframe Build Lead

The role

You will lead composite technicians on the floor and help stand up the airframe manufacturing operation from scratch. You will perform and supervise layup, bagging, infusion, cure, bonding, trimming, drilling, and assembly of airframe structure.

What you will do

• Lead composite technicians day to day on the floor
• Interview, onboard, and train new technicians
• Help stand up airframe manufacturing operation including facilities, workflows, tooling, and equipment
• Run the daily build by sequencing work, assigning crew, and tracking progress
• Perform and supervise layup, bagging, infusion, cure, bonding, trimming, drilling, and assembly
• Own the condition of molds, layup tools, and assembly fixtures
• Work with Airframe Manufacturing and Design Engineers to turn build plans into processes
• Feed engineering real build data regarding speed, fragility, and drawing accuracy
• Establish and improve shop practice around material handling, out-time control, kitting, and cure records
• Check team work in process and at completion and document non-conformances

Required qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on composite fabrication in aerospace, defense, marine, motorsports, or another high-performance build environment
• At least 2 years directing the work of other technicians
• Track record of building a hands-on crew
• Deep personal command of prepreg and wet layup, vacuum bagging, resin infusion, oven and autoclave cure, and secondary bonding
• Practical experience with core materials including honeycomb, foam, and syntactic
• Strong trimming, drilling, sanding, fairing, and fitting skills
• Experience joining composite detail parts into larger structure
• Comfort working alongside metallic detail parts, weldments, and machined fittings
• Care and keeping of molds, layup tools, and assembly fixtures
• Ability to work directly from engineering drawings, ply books, CAD models, and evolving build definitions
• Ability to write and improve work instructions
• Experience running builds to a schedule

Nice to have

• Experience standing up a composite shop or a new build cell from scratch
• Time spent in a development or prototype shop where the build definition changed week to week

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) program
• Transparent stock option plan
• Self-managed and flexible time-off policy
• PTO
• Paid holidays
• Sick time

About the company

Astro Mechanica is a vertically integrated aerospace company developing a scalable technology platform to power critical infrastructure, mission operations, and the future of flight. They are a team of engineers with a flat structure.