Senior Manufacturing Technician

Job Purpose

An excellent opportunity for a SENIOR MANUFACTURING TECHNICIAN to join a well-established, exciting, and growing Lithium-ion space business. The company designs, manufactures, and qualifies batteries for international space missions, including satellites, launch vehicles, and interplanetary spacecraft. Its customers include national and international space agencies such as NASA and the European Space Agency, as well as commercial clients, supporting missions related to Earth observation, Internet of Things satellite constellations, and global positioning systems. 

Join our team and play a direct role in producing batteries used in missions that provide satellite navigation to devices and applications. These systems deliver real-time directions, maps, and traffic updates, helping drivers find optimal routes and avoid congestion.

We are looking for a mechanically skilled manufacturing and assembly technician who will complete all mechanical elements of space battery builds according to specific instructions and processes

You have an opportunity to be part of the team producing batteries used in scientific missions where dark energy is studied, differences between Space and Earth environment, Earth care missions, debris removal in Space and many other missions where our batteries are flown in space.

This is your opportunity to join a world-class space and aerospace company and work on technologies that fly into space. In this role, you will work on cutting-edge technologies that power real space missions and make a global impact.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensuring the Health & Safety of everyone within the area of responsibility at all times, including adherence to risk assessments, COSHH assessments, safety protocols, and appropriate use of PPE.
• Ensuring safety products and hardware comply with required safety measures.
• Complying with company policies and departmental performance processes.
• Ensuring compliance with cleanroom processes and standards.
• Understanding and applying relevant standards and process guidelines specified in manufacturing documentation (e.g., BMS processes, ECSS specifications).

Manufacturing & Assembly Operations

• Setting up and operating equipment in preparation for assembly tasks.
• Performing manufacturing mechanical tasks including spot welding, pull testing, mechanical assembly, and application of Kapton tape, glues, Arathane, and other materials.
• Carrying out accurate and consistent wiring and soldering of live flight hardware in accordance with ECSS certification and manufacturing wiring QMS.
• Manufacturing and inspecting harnesses for flight hardware and test equipment.
• Conducting battery, test harness, and breakout box build, inspection and verification.
• Completing limited battery testing activities following training.

Documentation & Quality Management

• Completing all manufacturing and assembly documentation in accordance with process and industry requirements.
• Reading, understanding, and following build documentation and technical drawings.
• Supporting the design, writing, and review of project assembly documentation and drawings within allocated timelines.
• Updating departmental QMS and process documentation.
• Supporting non-conformance reviews and applying lessons learned where required.

Equipment & Asset Management

• Maintaining and managing cell block discharge harnesses and project harnesses, including annual verification.
• Maintaining cleanroom areas in a clean and operational condition.

Team Support, Communication & Leadership

• Deputizing for the Manufacturing Team Leader when required.
• Communicating task progress, processes, and activities effectively.
• Raising material or purchase requests to the Manufacturing Team Leader.

Training & Continuous Improvement

• Completing all company training, including cross-training in other departments.
• Preparing manufacturing mechanical processes and internal wiring training documentation.
• Delivering training and assessing training outcomes.
• Participating in build process risk reviews and assessments.

Qualifications

The successful candidate shall be qualified in

• ECSS-Q-ST-70-61 Manual soldering of high reliability electrical connections and inspection,
• ECSS-Q-ST-70-26 Crimping of high-reliability electrical connections along with experience in an engineering subject and have a hands-on approach to engineering and mechanical assembly.
• Two to five years of relevant assembly experience. Ideally in Aerospace manufacturing or engineering environment

Knowledge and Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of ESA standard qualification and work experience in soldering and crimping of high-reliability electrical connections.
• Expected to have a strong experienced background in assembly and wiring operations
• A commitment to hardware safety as top priority
• Experience and understanding of basic electrical test equipment functionality
• A strong attention to detail, logical and proactive approach and strong adherence to performing mechanical assembly tasks
• The ability to lead and support multi discipline teams in the set up and execution of assembly regimes to a successful outcome
• An ability to work in a multi-project environment; to effectively prioritize and work to detailed scheduled plans and tight deadlines
• A business minded and process driven attitude
• Proficient skills with MS Office / Office 365 suite of programs 

Skills and Competencies

• Ambitious and career minded
• High levels of attention to detail
• Good people skills and be a proven team worker and an ability to work independently
• Target, output and objective driven
• Flexible and adaptable to meet demanding business needs
• Able to use initiative with good problem solving and analytical skills