Payload Processing Facility Manager

Job Description

Job Description

We’re seeking a Payload Processing Facility Manager to join one of our valued clients on Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA. This is a passionate, hardworking team on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond.

Our client is looking for someone with exceptional leadership skills to ensure missions launch safely and on-time, and to run the facilities as a commercial, multi-user asset.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Own day-to-day facility operations, including budgeting, staffing, and revenue generation from external customer campaigns.
• Consistently deliver short payload processing timelines for missions, targeting 5–10 business days from spacecraft arrival to fairing encapsulation.
• Build and manage strong commercial customer relationships, including pricing, contracts, scheduling, and day-of-launch coordination.
• Maintain required environmental cleanliness standards, contamination monitoring programs, ESD controls, and hazardous processing capabilities (including hydrazine, cold gas, and green propellants, as well as small ordnance).
• Provide regular environmental status updates and reports to internal stakeholders and external customers.
• Partner with the mission management team to support customer reviews and milestone deliverables.
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of technicians, engineers, safety specialists, and logistics personnel; scale the organization as launch cadence increases.
• Serve as the primary interface for internal and external stakeholders across the entire processing lifecycle, from contract kickoff through final handover at the launch pad.
• Maintain all facility certifications and ensure full compliance with range safety, ITAR/EAR, and company safety standards.
• Coordinate facility upgrades and new capability deployments in parallel with active internal and customer campaigns.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, aerospace, or a related operations-focused field.
• 5+ years of experience working in satellite or payload processing cleanroom environments.
• Hands-on experience supporting commercial payload processing campaigns for orbital launch vehicles.
• Demonstrated track record operating or managing shared or multi-tenant payload processing facilities (commercial, government, or contractor).
• Proven ability to negotiate and close facility-use agreements or service contracts with commercial spacecraft operators.
• Strong working knowledge of cleanroom protocols, contamination control plans, and hazardous processing operations.
• Active Top Secret clearance or the ability to obtain one.
• Prior leadership experience at a commercial space company or payload processing contractor preferred.
• Direct experience with small-satellite fairing encapsulation and Alpha-class payloads.
• Experience with hydrazine and propellant loading operations, including associated safety and compliance protocols.
• Proven experience commissioning new processing facilities or executing major facility expansions.
• Existing relationships within the rideshare, small-sat, or constellation customer community.
• Willingness to travel up to 25% to other offices, test facilities, and launch sites.

Company Description

Excel Personnel Services is a full-service employment agency serving California’s Central Coast and beyond since 1995. We help match you with both temporary and full-time jobs that are a terrific fit for your skills, experience, and interests.

Company Description

Excel Personnel Services is a full-service employment agency serving California’s Central Coast and beyond since 1995. We help match you with both temporary and full-time jobs that are a terrific fit for your skills, experience, and interests.