Vice President of Hardware Engineering

Vice President of Hardware Engineering @ Colossus

About Us:
Colossus is bringing the computer revolution to space. Our goal is to take the last 30+ years of development in terrestrial computing to orbit. Colossus technology enables satellites to operate autonomously, facilitating instant Earth intelligence, satellite servicing, new modes of scientific exploration, and more. We touch every layer of the engineering design, from silicon to software to build solutions for the harsh environment of space.

About This Role:
As a Vice President of Hardware Engineering, you will be responsible for overseeing, coordinating, and managing all aspects of designing, building, testing, and shipping hardware at Colossus. The scope of engineering you’ll be overseeing includes electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing. You’ll also coordinate closely with firmware and software engineering as well as the Commercial Team.

This is an in-person role. While Colossus is a remote-first company, this position will require significant in-person work at Colossus’ headquarters in Alameda, CA. We trust our team members to work in the location that suits them best. This might mean that you spend a week working remotely doing paperwork and video calls, followed by a week of working from the office directly overseeing manufacturing and testing operations. Some folks prefer to work from an office full time, and we support that as well.
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*Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, people from underrepresented groups tend to only apply when they meet 100% of the qualifications. At Colossus, we’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t check all the boxes.
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Responsibilities:

• Lead a team of engineers, and support hiring as the team grows with the company. Currently the team numbers five, but will be growing in the next year
• Coordinate work across engineers, set priority levels, remove blockers, and provide accountability, keeping them happy and focused on their work
• Set schedules and maintain timelines, working closely with our project manager to set realistic schedules for the team and flag any issues meeting those timelines.
• Oversee engineering design work, setting high standards for both the work and its documentation
• Provide training and mentorship to junior engineers
• Create and maintain systems for managing supply chains and inventory to ensure we have the parts and materials we need to manufacture on time
• Create and refine systems for manufacturing to ensure quality, including overseeing documentation, checklists, standard operating procedures, and quality inspections
• Supervise testing of product, both functional checks and environmental testing such as vibration and thermal testing. Review test specifications, test plans, test reports, and manage the systems to ensure quality
• Maintain systems to securely and safely ship product to customers, including packing and handling, along with relevant documentation
• Coordinate with the Commercial Team to support sales and customer success, ensuring customers know when they are getting hardware and set up for success in using it
• Work with senior leadership on high level strategy, product roadmaps, and hiring
• Minimal travel may be required to support our builds, visit vendors, attend conferences, etc (<10%)

Experience We’re Looking For:

• 8+ years of experience in electrical, mechanical, aerospace or similar engineering field
• 5+ years of experience managing a team of 4 or more
• Experience in the space industry building and shipping space hardware or similar experience with high value, low volume products
• Have taken a product from concept to production, either leading the team or being a member
• Experience using value stream mapping, lean agile, and similar tools to improve quality, increase efficiency, and reduce waste
• Familiarity with industry standards and best practices in aerospace manufacturing, such as ISO 9001 or similar quality management systems
• (bonus) Knowledge of aerospace standards (i.e. GEVS 7000, AS9100)
• (bonus) Experience with spacecraft AI&T and/or operations

Life at Colossus:
We are curious. We’re the kids who took apart appliances on the kitchen table. We have to understand how everything works. If that sounds like you, you’ll fit right in. Let’s try to have a little fun along the way, too.

Some of our benefits include:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• HRA for mental health and FSA
• 401(k) plan with employer matching
• Stock options
• Flexible working hours and location
• Unlimited PTO that we encourage you to take

We have standardized compensation per level. The compensation for this role is $240,000 USD, with regular updates and bonuses tied to the company’s success. Currently this role’s compensation is planned to increase to $320,000 starting January 1. This role also includes a competitive equity grant in the form of stock options.

Location: Remote - Alameda, California, United States

Skills required for this job:

• AS9100
• Aerospace
• Agile methodologies
• Engineering management
• GEVS 7000
• Hardware engineering
• ISO 9001
• Lean manufacturing
• Manufacturing
• Product development
• Quality management
• Space systems operation
• Space technology