Lead AIT Technician

Job Description

Wanna join the adventure? As our Lead AIT Technician , you’ll be a working technical leader and people manager within our Assembly, Integration, and Test (AIT) team. You’ll remain hands-on with spacecraft flight hardware while also supporting, mentoring, and developing the technicians around you. You’ll work closely with AIT Engineers and cross-functional teams to ensure spacecraft are assembled and integrated to the highest workmanship and quality standards. This role is ideal for an experienced AIT Technician who enjoys being close to the hardware, takes pride in technical excellence, and wants to help build a strong, capable technician team as Loft continues to scale. \n About this Role: Perform hands-on assembly, integration, inspection, and rework of spacecraft flight hardware as a senior member of the AIT technician team. Manage, mentor, and develop AIT Technicians, providing regular feedback, coaching, and support for their professional growth. Serve as a technical reference for the technician team, helping reinforce workmanship standards, best practices, and consistent execution. Assemble and integrate mechanical and electrical spacecraft hardware in accordance with engineering drawings, work instructions, specifications, and controlled processes. Perform precision mechanical assembly activities using appropriate hand tools, torque tools, measuring equipment, and other production equipment. Perform electrical assembly activities such as cable and harness installation, connector mating, routing, bonding, and other spacecraft integration activities. Inspect completed work and support peer inspections to ensure hardware meets engineering, workmanship, and quality requirements. Support the development, improvement, and maintenance of build procedures, work instructions, and production documentation based on hands-on experience from the production floor. Identify and escalate technical or quality issues encountered during assembly and integration, working closely with Engineering and Quality to support resolution. Contribute to root cause investigations, NCRs, FRACAS, and corrective actions when issues arise during spacecraft build and integration. Partner with AIT Engineers, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Design Engineering to provide hands-on feedback that improves manufacturability, integration processes, and overall product quality. Champion a safe, organized, and disciplined production environment and help foster a culture of quality, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Must Haves: 5+ years of hands-on experience assembling and integrating spacecraft, aerospace hardware, or similarly complex high-reliability hardware. Demonstrated experience leading, mentoring, and/or managing technicians in an assembly or production environment. Strong hands-on mechanical and electrical assembly skills, with a solid understanding of high-reliability workmanship practices. Ability to interpret and work from engineering drawings, schematics, 3D models, technical specifications, and detailed work instructions. Experience using precision hand tools, torque tools, measurement equipment, and other equipment commonly used for spacecraft or aerospace hardware assembly. Experience working within controlled manufacturing and engineering processes, including configuration-controlled documentation, PDM/PLM systems, ECOs, and/or non-conformance processes. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide clear technical guidance, feedback, and coaching. Meticulous attention to detail and a strong sense of ownership over the quality of work performed. Ability and willingness to remain hands-on with spacecraft hardware while taking responsibility for the development and performance of the technician team. Nice to Haves: Previous experience as a Lead Technician, Senior Technician, or Technician Manager in the aerospace or space industry. Experience with spacecraft Assembly, Integration, and Test (AIT) from initial hardware integration through vehicle-level activities. Familiarity with aerospace workmanship standards such as IPC/WHMA-A-620, J-STD-001, NASA-STD-8739, or equivalent standards. Experience with RF hardware or RF-related spacecraft integration. Software or programming experience, particularly Python. Experience contributing to FRACAS, NCR, root cause analysis, or corrective action processes. Certified forklift and/or crane operator. Some of Our Awesome Benefits: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance option for employees and dependents Flexible Spending (FSA) and Health Savings (HSA) Accounts offered with an employer contribution to the HSA 100% employer paid Life, AD&D, Short-Term, and Long-Term Disability insurance Flexible Time Off policy for vacation and sick leave, and 12 paid holidays 401(k) plan and equity options Daily catered lunches and snacks International exposure to our team in France Fully paid parental leave; 14 weeks for primar