Head of Facilities

San Carlos, California

San Carlos, California

Full time

On-site

Operations

About Cowboy Space Corp.

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit compute to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we’re unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth.

Founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood), Cowboy Space Corp. is backed by leading investors and built by a team from top aerospace and defense organizations. We’re moving quickly to solve complex technical challenges and build a new category of space infrastructure.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Head of Facilities who will own the strategy, development, and operation of all company facilities - including satellite manufacturing, cleanrooms, integration and test areas, labs, mission operations spaces, and corporate offices. This leader will ensure our facilities enable high-reliability hardware production, meet aerospace and export control compliance standards, and scale efficiently as we grow toward full-rate manufacturing. This individual thrives in a fast-paced environment, developing and implementing plans to support a mission-driven organization. This is an in-person role at our San Carlos, CA HQ, and will report to our COO/CLO.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a multi-year facilities roadmap aligned with production and headcount growth

• Lead site selection, build-outs, expansions, and consolidations

• Support future geographic expansion, including new manufacturing or test sites and satellite offices

• Oversee cleanroom design, certification, and maintenance

• Manage high-reliability power systems, compressed gasses, HVAC, thermal control, vibration isolation, and EMI/EMC considerations

• Ensure facilities support satellite AIT (Assembly, Integration, & Test), including TVAC chambers, shaker tables, and electronic testing areas

• Partner with engineering to future-proof lab and production layouts

• Lead preventative and corrective maintenance programs

• Own facility uptime, reliability, and safety metrics, and implement asset lifecycle tracking

• Manage 3rd party vendors and service providers

• Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental, aerospace, and local regulatory requirements

• Support potential customer audits and government inspections

• Own facilities operating budget and capital expenditure planning

• Develop ROI-driven proposals for expansions and infrastructure upgrades

• Build and manage a high-performing facilities and site services team

• Establish scalable processes suitable for a rapidly growing company
  

Basic Qualifications

• 10+ years of facilities leadership experience in aerospace, semiconductor, advanced manufacturing, or similar high-spec environments

• Experience leading facilities in a fast-scaling or high-growth company

• Direct experience with cleanrooms, labs, or mission-critical infrastructure

• Strong capital project management experience for facility buildouts

• Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), and industrial systems

• Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
  

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $220,000 - $260,000 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.

• Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) retirement savings plan

• Paid time off

• 10 paid holidays per calendar year

• Paid parental leave

• Relocation assistance if applicable

• Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks

ITAR Requirements

• Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here.

Disclaimer

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.’s discretion.

Cowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.