Head of Programs and Operations

About Astrobase Space Technologies

Astrobase is a pioneering spacetech startup founded by prominent Senior ISRO scientists and IIT Bombay alumni with over 20 years of experience in designing, manufacturing, testing and flying advanced Cryogenic Launch Vehicles. Driven by a vision to make India a Space tech powerhouse, we are developing innovative launch vehicles that will transform space exploration. At Astrobase, you'll be part of a team creating history in the Indian space industry. Our goal is to become the first private space company from India to land on the moon economically.

Role Overview

We are building a reusable, all-liquid launcher powered by the best-in-class 80-ton Astrobase FFSC LOX/methane engine, at the fastest pace globally. As Director – Programs and Operations, you own the execution system that converts engine and vehicle designs into tested, flight-ready hardware — on schedule, within budget, and with complete configuration traceability.

You will own the integrated schedule, critical path, stage-gate process, configuration and change control, procurement readiness, and program cost — ensuring quality is built into execution while respecting the independent authority of Quality and Mission Assurance. You will build and lead the operations organization that makes this repeatable as Astrobase scales from development to flight.

This role demands someone who has personally delivered complex physical hardware — launch vehicles, engines, propulsion systems, missiles, gas turbines, or comparable — across design release, manufacturing, suppliers, assembly, and test under real schedule and budget pressure. The defining test: walk into the Rudra program and, within days, identify exactly what stands between us and the next integrated hot-fire, who owns each item, and what the daily closure plan is.

Key Responsibilities

• Integrated Program Delivery
  
  

Owns the integrated master schedule, critical path, dependencies, resource conflicts, long-lead items, test readiness, and recovery plans across engineering, manufacturing, procurement, assembly, and test. Drives daily execution with the functional team leads, re-plans against daily outcomes without losing the target, and holds the program accountable to schedule, cost, and technical readiness. This is the primary mandate of the role — everything else exists to make program delivery work.

• Stage-Gate Governance
  
  

Runs phase reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR, TRR, FRR) with clear entry and exit criteria, ensuring that evidence packages are complete and actions are closed before the program advances. Technical approval authority remains with the Director/Co-founder and the relevant engineering owners; this role owns the governance process, review cadence, and action tracking that surface risk early and keep the program moving on evidence.

• Configuration, Change Control & PLM
  
  

Establishes and runs configuration management — identification, baselines, status accounting, and configuration audits (FCA/PCA) — and end-to-end change control: ECR/ECO/ECN, the Change Control Board, impact assessment, dispositioning, and closure. Owns and operates the PLM for the full engine and vehicle system, integrating it with the schedule, QMS, ERP/MES, and change-control tools so design, manufacturing, assembly, and test all work off one connected source of truth. Maintains a single, authoritative record of as-designed, as-built, and as-tested configuration for every serialized engine and vehicle.

• Quality Integration & Supplier Quality
  
  

Ensures that QMS (AS9100 / NASA quality requirements), FAI (AS9102), NCR/MRB, CAPA, supplier quality, and full part traceability and pedigree are tightly integrated into program execution — so that quality gates, non-conformance disposition, and supplier corrective actions are reflected in the schedule and never bypassed under schedule pressure. Builds and runs the vendor and supplier quality program — supplier qualification and audits, source/receiving inspection, supplier FAI, supplier corrective action (SCAR), the approved-supplier list, and counterfeit-parts control. The Head of Quality and Mission Assurance retains independent escalation and stop-work authority; this role ensures quality is built into the execution rhythm, not that it reports to the schedule.

• Procurement & Supply Chain
  
  

Owns long-lead planning, supplier readiness, make-vs-buy decisions, supplier recovery plans, and single-source risk mitigation, working through the procurement and supply-chain team. Manages strategic sourcing, contract and PO management, and inventory planning in service of the program's schedule and cost targets.

• Cost & Resource Management
  
  

Owns the program budget, cost-to-complete, estimate at completion, unit-cost roadmap, and spend versus actual physical progress. Drives cost performance through should-cost analysis, value engineering, and cost-down initiatives. Finance retains ownership of accounting and reporting; this role owns the cost picture that informs program decisions.

• Organization & Execution
  
  

Builds and scales the program management, planning, configuration, document control, procurement, supply chain, and operations teams. Engineering hiring remains with the Director/Co-founder and the respective functional leads; this role identifies resource gaps and ensures the program has the people it needs, when it needs them. Works hands-on across design, production, and test sites: takes problems to where the work is, resolves them by bringing the work back to the correct process, and updates the plan to hold the target.

What Success Looks Like in the First Six Months

• Director/Co-founder's time recovered from chasing procurement, documentation, and action closure.
• Every major test has a readiness plan and critical path.
• Every engine has a controlled BOM and as-built/as-tested configuration.
• No part reaches assembly without traceability and approved documentation.
• Long-lead risks visible well in advance.
• Program cost-to-complete credible and tied to physical progress.
• Delays surfaced early; recovery plans actively driven.
• Every functional lead has clear ownership and dates.
• Zero repeat test failures from configuration or change-control gaps. The impeller, balance-disk, and lock-nut failures all came from such gaps — another similar failure six months in means the role is not working, regardless of how clean the schedules and processes look.
  
  

Experience & Qualifications

• Up to 15 years in program/project management, engineering operations, manufacturing operations, quality, or supply chain on complex hardware — aerospace, propulsion, automotive, or another regulated, high-reliability industry.
• Proven delivery of a multi-team hardware program to schedule and cost.
• Hands-on depth in integrated scheduling, critical-path management, and cross-functional execution across engineering, manufacturing, and test.
• Strong configuration management and change-control experience — as-designed / as-built / as-tested discipline across serialized hardware.
• Working knowledge of aerospace QMS, supplier quality, PLM, procurement/supply chain, and cost management, with hands-on depth in several and the ability to learn the rest quickly.
• Familiarity with cryogenic liquid propulsion (LOX/methane, staged-combustion cycles) and launch-vehicle development preferred.
• Hands-on operator who works where the hardware is; willing to travel frequently.
• Engineering degree (mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing, industrial, or related).
  
  

WHY WORK WITH US

At Astrobase, We Believe In The Power Of Human Ingenuity And Collaboration To Push The Boundaries Of Space Exploration. As a Team Member, You'll Be

• Creating History: Join us in developing cutting-edge launch vehicles, playing a pivotal role in transforming space access and shaping the future of space exploration.
• Collaborating with Experts: Work alongside ISRO scientists and industry veterans with decades of experience in designing India's iconic space missions like Chandrayaan 3
• Growth Opportunities: As Astrobase scales, you'll have the chance to take on leadership roles and be part of an expanding organization driving change in the Indian space sector.
• Pioneering Space Technology: Your contributions will not only impact Astrobase but also influence the global space ecosystem. Be part of something larger than yourself