Title: Development Operations Maintenance Lead

Job Summary:
We are seeking an experienced R&D Maintenance Lead to support the reliability, maintenance, and operation of advanced satellite testing infrastructure within the Development Operations (DevLabOps) organization. In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring maximum uptime and sustained performance of mission-critical development test systems including thermal vacuum chambers, environmental test equipment, and specialized aerospace testing platforms that are foundational to our satellite development programs.
As the R&D Maintenance Lead, you will bring hands-on technical expertise and a strong background in facility and equipment management to drive operational excellence in a fast-paced, engineering-driven environment. You will lead facility modifications, infrastructure support initiatives, and the maintenance of custom equipment essential to building flexible, scalable lab environments that meet the evolving demands of our R&D teams.
This role requires a proactive leader who can anticipate infrastructure needs, coordinate across engineering and operations teams, and maintain the high standards of reliability that our development programs depend on. You will serve as a key partner to R&D engineers and program stakeholders, ensuring that lab environments remain fully operational and capable of supporting both current and next-generation satellite development activities.

Key job responsibilities

• Work closely alongside the Development Operations Maintenance Supervisor and Facilities Manager to align on priorities, coordinate infrastructure activities, and ensure seamless execution of lab operations across the organization.
• Lead a team responsible for lab infrastructure support, utility operations, and maintenance of development equipment, providing technical guidance, mentorship, and day-to-day direction.
• Drive the planning and execution of infrastructure upgrades and utility installations including electrical, chilled water, compressed air, vacuum, and LN2 systems to support new laboratories, test equipment, and facility expansions.
• Lead the maintenance, servicing, and modification of specialized, in-house-designed test equipment and tooling in direct collaboration with Design and Lab Engineers.
• Develop and implement preventative maintenance schedules and service plans for facility utilities and specialized test hardware, ensuring consistent execution and continuous improvement.
• Establish and maintain a critical-spares program to maximize equipment uptime and enable rapid recovery of essential infrastructure.
• Track and manage approved Operational and Capital Expense (OpEx/CapEx) budgets in alignment with the organization's strategic roadmap, identifying opportunities to optimize spend.
• Partner with engineering and operations teams to define, document, and deliver infrastructure requirements for new projects, labs, and equipment installations.
• Maintain comprehensive infrastructure documentation, including facility maps, risk tracking systems, and contingency plans for all Development Operations–controlled areas.
• Manage vendor activities, ensuring quality standards are met, compliance is maintained, and disruption to development schedules is minimized.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives across lab operations, utility systems, and equipment servicing processes to support rapid development and testing needs.

Basic qualifications

• Experience in team development and training
• Experience in engineering work, managing large-scale services

Preferred qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Experience in a management position with 5 or more direct reports
• Experience working in data centers with an emphasis on building and equipment operation

 
 
At SPECTRAFORCE, we are committed to maintaining a workplace that ensures fair compensation and wage transparency in adherence with all applicable state and local laws. This position’s starting pay is: $ 50.00/hr.