Job Details

Production Director

Our client is a rapidly growing startup defense company that brings a new and innovative approach to the development and production of defense systems. They focus on short, iterative design cycles, with rapid developmental testing and modern commercial manufacturing strategies for production at scale. The job is based in Los Angeles, CA, with relocation assistance provided.

In this pivotal leadership role, you will build and lead a world class manufacturing operation, pushing for innovation and operational excellence that positions our client as the nation's premier hypersonics producer.

Functions:

• Define and execute strategy to scale all Los Angeles based production including avionics, sub-assemblies, mechanisms, and composites fabrication from prototype to scaled production
• Recruit, train/develop, and scale a diverse, high-performing 100+ employee manufacturing team (technicians, leaders, and manufacturing engineers)
• Support the implementation and refinement of production software systems and tools (MES, ERP, PLM, etc)
• Oversee facility planning (layout, flow optimization, and equipment selection and acquisition)
• Oversee day-to-day production and manufacturing operations including production scheduling, capacity planning, resource allocation, inventory and supply-chain coordination, materials flow, and facility/equipment management
• Forecast and manage operational and capital expenditures.
• Develop, implement, and refine KPIs to measure performance.
• Lead continuous process development and improvement efforts to optimize yield, throughput, manufacturing cost, and production reliability across all production lines
• Establish and maintain a culture that prioritizes safety, quality, speed and continuous improvement.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering
• 10+ years in production/manufacturing operations or manufacturing engineering
• 5+ years in production/operations leadership
• Demonstrated success in scaling a production operation from development/prototype to high volume production
• Deep understanding of high-precision, complex aerospace hardware production including metallic and composite fabrication, machining/welding/additive, tight-tolerance assembly, avionics, testing and acceptance, and NDE.
• Skilled at interpreting raw data, identifying trends or anomalies, and translating findings into clear, data-informed strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing, cross-functional team including production staff, manufacturing engineers, quality, supply-chain, and operations personnel with emphasis on building culture, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and cross-functional collaboration skills to interface with engineering, quality, supply-chain, leadership, and possibly external partners or customers.
• Demonstrated commitment to safety, quality, and compliance

Preferred Skills:

• Comfort operating in a fast-paced, high-stakes, high-reliability environment typical of aerospace/defense startups able to make decisions under ambiguity, handle programmatic/contract demands, and adapt as priorities shift
• Experience with manufacturing execution systems (MES/ERP/PLM), production data systems, material resource planning (MRP), and digital manufacturing workflows to manage operations, quality, change control, and configuration
• Strong background in manufacturing engineering practices, operations excellence, and continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, process optimization, DFM/DFA, production flow and layout planning, tooling and automation)
• Deep knowledge of aerospace manufacturing standards and regulatory frameworks (e.g., AS9100, NADCAP, applicable military/defense manufacturing standards), including quality management, audit readiness, compliance, and export-control/ITAR requirements
• Extensive leadership experience (1015+ years) in aerospace, defense, or high-complexity manufacturing, including several years at the sr. manager or director level leading cross-functional teams

Important Leadership Qualities:

• Bias to Action and Creative Problem Solving. Desire and experience questioning assumptions in ways that lead to break through ideas that are ultimately implemented. Successfully bring in applicable processes/concepts/materials from other industries to achieve efficiency gains. Ability to personally resolve minor issues in development without requiring significant support.
• High Commitment, High Initiative. A successful candidate will have a genuine passion for our client's mission and consistently look for ways to contribute to the company's technical goals and prevent hardware blockers. Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere. Strong sense of accountability and integrity.
• Clear Communicator. Proactively communicates blockers. Trusted in previous roles to be voice of company with regulators, suppliers, gate keepers and customers. Capable of tactfully managing relationships with stakeholders to achieve company-desired outcomes without compromising relationships.