Head of Avionics Manufacturing

About the Team 

The Avionics Manufacturing organization builds and tests the electronic systems that power, control, and connect every aspect of Terran R — from flight computers and sensors to wiring and integrated avionics assemblies. As we push toward first flight and beyond, this team sits at the intersection of hardware, software, and operations, and is transitioning from development into full-rate production while raising the bar on reliability, cycle time, and cross-program alignment. 

About the Role 

We're looking for a senior leader to own the strategy, organization, and delivery of avionics manufacturing across the Terran R program. This is a step beyond running a production floor — you'll define the multi-year manufacturing strategy for avionics hardware, build and lead an organization of manufacturing leaders (not just individual contributors), and be a primary voice in company-level conversations about production readiness, capacity, and risk.

You'll partner directly with executive leadership across Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Program Management to ensure avionics manufacturing scales in step with the broader vehicle program — and you'll be accountable for translating factory-floor reality into the kind of forward-looking, risk-adjusted narrative that shapes company-level decisions.

What You'll Own

Strategy & Organization 

• Set the multi-year strategy for avionics manufacturing — capacity planning, make/buy decisions, automation roadmap, and organizational design — in direct partnership with VP/executive stakeholders 
• Build, lead, and develop a multi-layered organization of manufacturing leaders spanning manufacturing engineering, functional/environmental test, and production operations 
• Represent avionics manufacturing in company-wide program reviews, translating production data into risk exposure, timeline confidence, and resourcing recommendations for executive audiences 

Delivery 

• Own the end-to-end manufacturing and test roadmap for all avionics hardware — from process development and test infrastructure through full-rate production and vehicle integration readiness 
• Drive the transition from development to high-rate production while improving reliability, reducing cycle time, and holding the line on yield and quality targets 
• Set and hold your organization accountable to schedule, yield, and quality commitments, using data to surface risk early rather than after it becomes a program-level problem 

Cross-Functional Leadership 

• Drive alignment across design engineering, test engineering, systems engineering, vehicle integration, supply chain, and quality to ensure avionics hardware is manufacturable, testable, and deliverable at rate 
• Champion automation, digital production tooling, and lean practices as strategic levers — not just floor-level fixes — to improve throughput and ensure traceability and compliance at scale 
• Build the muscle for proactive escalation: surfacing anomalies and risks to leadership before they cascade, not after 

About You 

• 5+ years in progressive leadership roles — ideally with experience leading other manufacturing leaders/managers, not just individual contributors 
• Proven track record owning complex electro-mechanical manufacturing and test operations at the organizational level — PCBAs, wire harnesses, integrated avionics units 
• Demonstrated ability to operate at both altitudes: fluent enough in electronics manufacturing process (PCB assembly, conformal coating, potting, ESD protocols, wire harness fabrication) to make good calls fast, and strategic enough to set multi-year direction and influence executive decisions 
• Experience building and scaling a manufacturing organization through a volume ramp — from development-rate to high-rate production 
• A track record of leading through ambiguity and aggressive, shifting timelines, and communicating that reality clearly to executive stakeholders 
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field 

Nice to Have 

• Experience with spaceflight avionics testing and standards (SMC-S-016, MIL-STD-810, RCC-319/324 or equivalents) 
• Familiarity with electronics manufacturing standards (IPC-610, IPC-J-STD-001 Space Addendum, IPC/WHMA-A-620) and PCB line operations 
• Experience standing up new production or test lines from scratch — equipment selection, layout, staffing, and process validation 
• Lean/Six Sigma leadership experience applied at the organizational (not just line) level 
• Experience with high-voltage lithium-ion battery assembly manufacturing