BlackVe Opens a Satellite Factory at MaxQ@Kirtland: 152 Albuquerque Space Jobs Planned
ALBUQUERQUE, NM — BlackVe, a young spacecraft maker that has called Albuquerque its manufacturing home since 2024, has opened a new satellite production space at MaxQ@Kirtland, the commercial campus on the north side of Kirtland Air Force Base. The company and the state say the expansion should add 152 high-paying Albuquerque jobs over the next ten years, with the first hires trained on the state's dime.
A 30,000-square-foot satellite factory just outside the Kirtland fence, $1.25 million in public incentives, and a plan for 152 jobs: here is who BlackVe is, what the first jobs pay, and how to get on its radar.
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| Business | BlackVe Inc., spacecraft and defense technology manufacturer |
| Opened | Ribbon cutting August 25, 2026 |
| Location | MaxQ@Kirtland, Kirtland Air Force Base, north of the security fence |
| Size | 30,000 square feet now, with a 50,000-square-foot facility in the plans |
| Concept | Multi-mission spacecraft built with faster, automated production |
| Industry | Aerospace and defense |
| New jobs | 152 planned over 10 years |
What BlackVe Opened at MaxQ@Kirtland
BlackVe was founded in January 2024 and builds multi-mission spacecraft for national security customers. Its pitch is speed: using production technology such as 3-D printed parts and robotics to cut the time it takes to design, build and fly a satellite.
The New Mexico Economic Development Department marked the opening of the 30,000-square-foot space on August 25. MaxQ@Kirtland sits outside the base's security fence, so it is a commercial campus rather than a gated military site. In June, when the incentives were first announced, the company described plans to grow into a 50,000-square-foot light-industrial manufacturing facility, and the Albuquerque Journal reported it was working out of the former Northrop Grumman building with that expansion still ahead.
💵 The Jobs and What They Pay
The headline number is 152 jobs, but read the fine print: that total is spread across ten years, and public money is released only as BlackVe hits construction and hiring benchmarks. This is a steady build, not a single hiring wave.
The first wave is where the pay data lives. When the deal was announced in June, the state said nine initial hires trained through its Job Training Incentive Program would average $57 an hour, roughly $118,500 a year at full time. At the August opening, the state said BlackVe now has training funds to hire and train up to 28 employees, with the program covering at least half of wages for up to six months.
Neither the state nor the company has published a list of positions or a timeline for how many people will be hired in 2026. Expect a mix of engineering roles and production, assembly and quality jobs on the factory floor. At least one BlackVe engineering posting has required the ability to qualify for a Top Secret security clearance, so plan on a background investigation for many roles.
🔥 Why It Matters for Albuquerque Job Seekers
BlackVe is the latest name in a fast-growing cluster of space and defense employers around Kirtland, Sandia National Laboratories and the Mesa del Sol and Sunport corridors. State and city backers put in $1 million and $250,000 in Local Economic Development Act funds, plus a 20-year industrial revenue bond, and project more than $228 million in total economic impact.
For workers, that cluster means options. Experience at one of these shops travels to the others, and a clearance or Kirtland maintenance background makes you an especially strong candidate.
🔎 Search Aerospace Jobs Now
- BlackVe jobs in Albuquerque
- Aerospace engineer jobs
- Mechanical engineer jobs
- Electrical engineer jobs
- Test engineer jobs
- Satellite and spacecraft jobs
- Assembly technician jobs
- Machinist jobs
- Quality inspector jobs
- Security clearance jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is BlackVe's new Albuquerque facility?
At MaxQ@Kirtland, a commercial campus on Kirtland Air Force Base that sits north of the base's security fence. The state has not published a street address for the BlackVe space.
How many jobs is BlackVe adding in Albuquerque?
The state expects 152 high-paying jobs over ten years. The company has state training funds to hire and train up to 28 employees, but no 2026 hiring count has been announced.
How much do BlackVe jobs pay?
The only published figure is for the first nine state-trained hires, who were expected to average $57 an hour. Pay for other roles has not been released.
Is BlackVe hiring right now?
The company has posted engineering roles, but it has not announced a hiring event or a list of open positions. Keep your resume ready and watch for new postings.
Get Ready for Albuquerque's Space Jobs
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- Quantinuum Is Building a Photonics Lab in Albuquerque
- Sandia National Labs: High-Tech Careers in Albuquerque
From Gibson Boulevard you can see the hangars and labs that made Albuquerque a space town long before the word startup. Now the satellites are being built just down the road.
