Manager, Airframe Production
Hermeus
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Posted on Jun 10, 2025
Hermeus is an aerospace and defense technology company founded to radically accelerate air travel by delivering hypersonic aircraft. The company aims to develop hypersonic aircraft quickly and cost-effectively by integrating hardware-rich, iterative development with modern computing and autonomy. This approach has been validated through design, build, and test of the company’s first combined turbojet-ramjet engine and is now being scaled through its first flight vehicle program, Quarterhorse. Hermeus is also developing Darkhorse — an uncrewed hypersonic aircraft designed to deliver unique asymmetric capabilities to the warfighter.
The Manager of Airframe Production will be responsible for standing up and scaling Hermeus’ airframe production line — from raw materials to fully integrated flight structures. This includes establishing our in-house machine shop and assembly areas, overseeing the full production lifecycle of airframe structures, managing complex thermal and mechanical assemblies, developing advanced tooling strategies, and leading a team of engineers and technicians to deliver structurally sound, flight-ready hardware.
Leveraging experience from high-performance aerospace environments (such as spacecraft or launch vehicle production), you will drive the transformation of Hermeus’ airframe build capabilities into a scalable, repeatable, and test-integrated manufacturing system optimized for speed, reliability, and mission success.
Responsibilities:
- Lead the setup of our internal machine shop, and assembly area. Define layout, workflow, and capital equipment needs to support efficient, scalable airframe production.
- Lead the end-to-end production, assembly, and test of structural airframe components, including thermal control and integrated fluid systems required for operation.
- Collaborate with design engineers to ensure airframe components and subsystems are optimized for manufacturability, reliability, and reusability.
- Oversee creation of detailed, technician-friendly work instructions and process documents. Direct the design and implementation of specialized tooling and fixtures to support efficient and high-quality builds.
- Manage integration of component-level tests such as proof/leak, structural integrity, and flow validation. Ensure test data informs continuous production improvements.
- Coordinate cross-functional response to production and test discrepancies. Partner with quality, design, and production teams to resolve and root-cause build issues quickly and effectively.
- Identify, plan, and implement process upgrades, new capital equipment, and layout optimizations to meet increasing production demand.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Manufacturing Engineering or equivalent practical experience.
- 5+ years of experience in aerospace hardware production, with increasing leadership responsibility
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Demonstrated ownership of complex mechanical systems (e.g., propulsion assemblies, fluid systems, structural frames) through full production cycles.
- Familiarity with high-temperature materials (e.g., titanium, Inconel, thermal composites) and their joining, forming, and testing methods.
- Strong background in test operations (leak checks, flow testing, structural proof) and working knowledge of environmental and thermal control systems.
- Hands-on experience working with technicians and welders; understands the realities of floor-level production and high-reliability assembly.
Additional Requirements:
- Previous experience in orbital welding, high-pressure fluid systems, or thermal protection systems.
- Expertise in PLM and ERP systems such as Siemens Teamcenter, SAP, or equivalent.
- Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles and Six Sigma tools.
- Proven success scaling production from prototype to low-rate production or test flight readiness.
U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS
The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. US persons include U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Hermeus is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at Hermeus are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.