Astrobotic is at the forefront of advancing space exploration and technology development. Our expertise spans from lunar rovers, landers, and infrastructure to spacecraft navigation, machine vision, and computing systems for in-space robotic applications. To date, the company has been contracted for two lunar missions, and has won more than 60 NASA, DoD, and commercial technology contracts worth more than $600 million.    

We recently launched and operated the first American lunar lander mission since the Apollo Program.  Beyond helping lead America back to the Moon, Astrobotic developed and operates reusable vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) rockets and continues to advance next-generation VTVL capabilities and advanced rocket engines. Established in 2007, Astrobotic is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, with a Propulsion and Test (P&T) campus in Mojave, CA.

The Mojave Site Director works with the Landers and Spacecraft leadership team to ensure Mojave facilities are planned, resourced, and managed to support P&T operations.

This position reports to the Director of Operations.

Job Responsibilities:

• Managing overall facility budget and forecasting budget requirements
• Leading the operational site’s personnel management, communicating job expectations in coordination with project management, evaluating team structure, ensuring cohesive team culture, and monitoring employee performance to provide input to the Vice President for Landers and Spacecraft.
• Managing and maintaining Astrobotic’s relationship with the Mojave Air and Space Port and supporting key stakeholder relationships in California (e.g., Air Force Research Lab at Edwards Air Force Base, NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center)
• Ensuring all flight and test operations are safe for the team, property, and equipment
• Providing site facilities management review and go / no go for all Flight Readiness Reviews and Test Readiness Reviews
• Providing leadership and support to Headquarters on operations topics in Mojave (e.g., facilities, environmental, health and safety (EHS), security, insurance, quality, etc.)
• Ensuring employee adherence to company and departmental policies

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Onsite presence at Propulsion & Test campus in Mojave, CA
• 10+ years of relevant management and operations experience in aerospace and defense
• Demonstrated experience with launch operations, propulsion testing, or experimental aircraft testing, preferably in a new space or startup environment
• Demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas: rocket vehicle development, cryogenic rocket propulsion systems, flight test or launch operations
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong organizational, multi-tasking, and problem-solving skills

Desired Skills & Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience in a high-growth startup or operational turnaround environment
• Demonstrated experience supporting operations needs in additional to engineering work (e.g., facilities, quality)
• Demonstrated experience identifying, selecting, and developing top talent
• Demonstrated experience in life cycle development and management of rocket, aircraft, or propulsion systems\
• Demonstrated experience operating in a matrix organization
• Demonstrated success with developing and implementing safety processes and procedures to ensure safe operations for personnel and flight hardware
• Minimum 5 years of relevant launch or propulsion experience with cryogenic propellants

The base salary range represents the low and high end of the anticipated salary range for this position. The actual base salary offered for this position will depend on numerous factors including individual performance, business objectives, and the candidates professional experience.  Base salary is just one component of Astrobotic’s competitive total rewards strategy.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Astrobotic Technology, Inc. does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to contact@astrobotic.com.