Senior Production Engineer

About Dawn Aerospace

Dawn Aerospace is pioneering the development of the Aurora, a reusable, rocket-powered spaceplane aimed at making space access as routine as air travel. Following a robust R&D phase, the company is shifting towards scalable production of multiple spaceplanes annually. The team operates internationally with sites in New Zealand, the Netherlands, France, and the USA.

Role Overview

We are searching for a seasoned industrialization leader to spearhead the transition from prototype to serial manufacturing. This pivotal role involves establishing manufacturing visions, designing production systems, and defining operational processes that transform Dawn Aerospace from an engineering-driven R&D outfit into a streamlined, scalable production business. As Senior Production Engineer, you will collaborate across teams—engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and leadership—to ensure that manufacturability, quality, and timely delivery are integral to every phase.

Key Responsibilities

• Create long-term production strategies to support manufacturing multiple reusable spaceplanes each year.
• Develop a production operating model facilitating the shift from R&D to production environments.
• Design and implement scalable manufacturing workflows.
• Partner with design engineers to enhance product manufacturability and optimize production efficiency.
• Identify and resolve manufacturing bottlenecks to improve throughput.
• Enhance manufacturing data practices to enable data-driven decision making.
• Establish production planning and scheduling processes.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain to guarantee manufacturing readiness and assess supplier capabilities.
• Drive cultural and organizational change shifting focus from prototype-based to production-minded thinking.
• Promote a culture centered on standardization, repeatability, and operational excellence.
• Set standards for manufacturing documentation, including production travellers, work instructions, and visual management tools.
• Educate engineering teams on Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) principles.

Candidate Profile

• Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent qualification.
• Has over 5 years of experience managing transitions of complex engineering entities from R&D to mass production.
• Proven track record of scaling manufacturing from prototypes to repeatable production systems.
• Strong understanding of aerospace or other tightly regulated manufacturing sectors.
• Experience creating production systems, manufacturing strategies, and industrialization roadmaps.
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, DFMA, Value Stream Mapping, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of influencing across engineering, manufacturing, and leadership levels.
• Adaptable to fast-paced environments where processes and systems are evolving.
• Displays systems thinking with the ability to simplify complex production challenges.
• Pragmatic approach with a strong execution focus.
• Background in aerospace, aviation, automotive, defense, or other advanced manufacturing preferred.

Diversity and Inclusion

Dawn Aerospace values diverse teams and inclusive environments where individuals of all backgrounds can thrive and contribute meaningfully.