---
title: 'Sr. Manufacturing Engineer - PCBA Validation at Xona Space Systems'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/sr-manufacturing-engineer-pcba-validation-xona-space-systems-burlingame-6qxd9mezckkj'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-09'
---

# Sr. Manufacturing Engineer - PCBA Validation at Xona Space Systems

- **Company:** Xona Space Systems
- **Location:** Burlingame, CA
- **Compensation:** $146k–$205k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-08-14
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/xona-space/7dccb27d-50c8-4a33-bb4b-0061f39557cf

## Job description

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

Xona's Manufacturing team is responsible for the assembly, integration, and test of flight hardware, including the printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) that go into every satellite subsystem. We're looking for a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to own how those boards get validated once they land in our factory — from receiving through functional release to build.

As the technical owner of PCBA validation and test, you will define the production/process validation testing (PVT) strategy for incoming boards, drive it into digital work instructions, and close the loop with our contract manufacturers when hardware doesn't meet spec. You've worked inside a PCBA production environment before and know the difference between inspecting boards and actually controlling the process that produces them. You'll bring that experience to a small, fast-moving team building flight hardware for the first time at rate.

What You’ll Do:

- Define and own the acceptance test strategy for PCBAs - receiving inspection, quality checks, conformal coating inspection, and functional or environmental screening as warranted; you’ll drive continuous improvement in cycle time
- Translate schematics, assembly drawings, and IPC-A-610 / J-STD-001 workmanship criteria into inspection and test procedures embedded directly in digital work instructions and travelers
- Specify, build, and qualify test fixtures, functional test stations, and the instrumentation behind them (power supplies, DMMs, oscilloscopes, signal generators, data acquisition systems)
- Own nonconformance management for incoming boards — containment, root cause analysis (8D/5-Why/Fishbone), and MRB disposition
- Work with the Quality Assurance and Supply Chain teams to conduct PCB contract manufacturer audits and own SCAR workflows, driving supplier corrective action to closure
- Build measurement and test confidence through gage/test method validation; Gage R&R & Cpk
- Analyze yield, defect, and escape trends from incoming PCBA data to drive both supplier-side and internal process improvement
- Partner with electrical design and systems engineering to feed manufacturing and test data back into DFM for future board revisions
- Mentor engineers and technicians on PCBA inspection and test practices as the team and factory scale

What You Bring:

- B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
- 5+ years in manufacturing or test engineering in a PCBA/electronics production environment (3+ with an advanced degree)
- Direct experience standing up or owning production/process validation testing (PVT) for electronic assemblies
- Working knowledge of IPC-A-610 and J-STD-001 workmanship and acceptance standards
- Experience with PCBA test methods: ICT, flying probe, functional test and the fixtures and equipment behind them
- Ability to read and interpret schematics, assembly prints, and BOMs, with working knowledge of GD&T
- Experience with nonconformance management and root cause analysis
- Hands-on in a PCBA production environment, working directly with technicians and CM partners on process improvements

Preferred Qualifications:

- 7+ years in manufacturing or test engineering in a PCBA/electronics production environment
- Experience in aerospace, space, defense, or other high-reliability electronics

manufacturing (IPC Class 3, J-STD-001 Space Addendum)

- PCB or electronics contract manufacturer audit experience
- Experience with MES/ERP systems and configuration-controlled manufacturing records
- Programming experience (Python or similar) for test automation or data analysis
- Experience scaling a validation process from NPI/first article through repeatable production rate

For U.S. Roles: To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles: To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles: Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

## About Xona Space Systems

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Xona Space Systems is building Pulsar, a high-integrity positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) constellation in Low Earth Orbit that delivers authenticated, centimeter-accurate services as a resilient alternative to GPS.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series C – $170M raised ~April 2026)
- **Headquarters**: Burlingame, California, USA (also offices in Montreal, Canada and London, England)
- **Founded**: 2019
- **Founders**: Brian Manning (CEO), Tyler Reid (CTO), Adrien Perkins (VP of Engineering)

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Aerospace / Satellite Navigation, Defense & Critical Infrastructure, Autonomous Systems
- **Target customers**: B2B / B2G – enterprise, government, defense, autonomous robotics, construction, industrial IoT, and any application requiring resilient PNT
- **Mission**: “Unlock the potential of tomorrow’s technologies by providing the most robust and accurate navigation and timing services on Earth.”

## Products & Services
- **Pulsar Constellation**: A network of 258 small, software-defined satellites in LEO broadcasting secured, authenticated PNT signals. Offers native user accuracy at centimeter level and is designed to upgrade existing GPS devices via a software update.
- **Pulsar‑Verified Receivers & Simulators**: Certified hardware and test platforms for integrators. Includes reference designs and simulation tools.
- **Time Authentication Service**: A cryptographic layer that validates the origin and integrity of timing signals, providing resilience against spoofing and jamming.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (conflicting reports may exist; no official figure available)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding $327.53M (CB Insights); latest Series C closed ~April 2026 (amount $170M)
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: Not publicly disclosed (funding specifics unknown). Key partners include Murata (MOU for LEO navigation in industrial applications), the Government of Canada (R&D collaboration to strengthen timing resilience), and the National Research Council of Canada.
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Successfully launched Pulsar‑0, the first commercially funded navigation satellite, now in orbit for one year (June 2026).
  - 11+ patents filed (encrypted navigation signals, wireless locating, etc.).
  - Active hiring in Burlingame, Montreal, and London; 828 employees on LinkedIn as of mid‑2026.
  - Collaboration with ISED, NRC, and DRDC to broadcast Canada’s official time signal (UTC(NRC)) from space.

## Competitive Advantages
- **First‑mover with a privately funded navigation satellite** – Pulsar‑0 set a precedent for commercial LEO PNT.
- **Authenticated signals** – Cryptographic security native to the signal provides spoofing/jamming resistance unmatched by traditional GPS.
- **Software‑defined satellites** – Rapid constellation scaling and in‑orbit updates at a fraction of legacy system cost.
- **Multi‑national timing broadcast** – Ability to carry multiple official time standards (US, UK, Canada) on a shared infrastructure, creating sovereign resilience for allies.

## Strategic Focus
- **Constellation deployment** – Scale from prototype (Pulsar‑0) to a full production fleet of 258 satellites.
- **Ecosystem enablement** – Grow partner network of receiver makers, chipset vendors, and integrators (e.g., Murata, government bodies).
- **Geographic expansion** – Establish a strong presence in Canada (Montreal) and the UK (London) while deepening relationships with allied governments.
- **Defense & critical infrastructure** – Pursue contracts that require autonomous, tamper‑proof PNT for military, aviation, and grid timing.

## Why Work Here
- **Impact** – Work on “a generational technology at startup speed”; decisions are pushed to the people closest to the work. Culture of ownership and rapid iteration.
- **Compensation** – Competitive salary, equity (ownership culture), 401(k) / Roth 401(k).
- **Benefits** – 95% of healthcare premiums covered for US employees (50% for dependents); HSA/FSA options; supportive parental leave (equitable); flexible time off.
- **Workplace** – Burlingame office with catered lunches twice a week, snacks, drinks, coffee. Roles also in Montreal and London (hybrid likely per location, but remote‑first not stated).
- **Culture** – Engineering‑driven, fast‑shipping, collaborative; team includes leaders from industry and academia.

## Sources
1. [xonaspace.com](https://www.xonaspace.com/)
2. [xonaspace.com/careers](https://www.xonaspace.com/careers)
3. [xonaspace.com/mission](https://www.xonaspace.com/mission)
4. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/xonaspace)
5. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/xona-space-systems)

## Other roles at Xona Space Systems

- [Technical Writer](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-writer-xona-space-systems-burlingame-f9aj5k2b8g88) — Burlingame, CA
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- [Software Development Engineer in Test](https://feeny.ai/job/software-development-engineer-in-test-xona-space-systems-burlingame-5s17a4hg3e6s) — Burlingame, CA
- [Director of Flight Software Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-flight-software-engineering-xona-space-systems-burlingame-8893v6jvsyb9) — Burlingame, CA
- [Cloud Security Specialist – Platforms Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/cloud-security-specialist-platforms-engineering-xona-space-systems-burlingame-2cw1wtrhjex7) — Burlingame, CA
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- [Product Manager (Ecosystem) / Responsable de Produit (écosystème)](https://feeny.ai/job/product-manager-ecosystem-responsable-de-produit-ecosysteme-xona-space-systems-xa2agjby9kae) — Montréal, Canada
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