Director of Production (Defense/Aerospace)

CoAspire is a cutting-edge defense manufacturing leader in Northern Virginia, specializing in the precision assembly of advanced weapons systems. With over thirteen years of a legacy of innovation, we're at the forefront of building reliable, affordable mass weapons that protect and empower our nation’s warfighters. Our tight-knit team thrives in a collaborative environment where safety, quality, and work-life balance come first with a focus on professional growth at our new 27,000+ sq. ft. facility. Join us to make a tangible impact on mission-critical technology while enjoying Northern Virginia's vibrant community.

Position : You will be the manufacturing engineering authority for a weapon-system production line. You will set process, tooling, layout, and work-instruction standards; drive Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and provide technical direction to manufacturing engineers, quality engineers, and technicians. You will work side-by-side with the Director of Production Operation on rate, staffing, quality, cost and issue resolution as the line moves from low-rate toward full-rate production. You will own how the line is built, how work is documented in our ERP, and how rate, yield, and cost improve as volume grows.

Location : Manassas, VA

Responsibilities:

• Own assembly processes, work instructions, tooling and fixture requirements, BOM, routings, and ERP master data for the production line.
• Lay out the line: material flow, workstation design, line balance, and capacity so monthly rate and yield targets are achievable.
• Lead cycle-time, labor-hour, first-pass yield, and recurring-cost reduction — with measured results.
• Drive Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and value engineering with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering so producibility is designed in, not inspected in.
• Provide technical direction and mentorship to manufacturing technicians and support staff; help hire the next wave of production talent.
• Represent manufacturing in customer and leadership reviews on rate, cost, quality, and technical risk.
• Keep the line compliant with AS9100D, ITAR, DFARS, safety, and customer requirements.

Required Qualifications:

• U.S. citizenship. Current Secret clearance, or the ability to obtain and maintain one.
• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of manufacturing, process, or industrial engineering on complex electro-mechanical hardware — aerospace, defense, munitions, aircraft or spacecraft assembly, or similarly regulated precision production.
• Demonstrated experience helping a product move from prototype or LRIP toward sustained rate (cycle time, yield, capacity, or cost). You do not need to have been the single owner of a full FRP ramp.
• Working knowledge of a certified quality system in production (AS9100, ISO 9001, or equivalent).
• Comfortable on the factory floor and in front of leadership and customers. Able to make technical trade-off recommendations with data.

Desired Skills:

• Led or been a core member of a team that took a defense or aerospace line from low rate through full rate production.
• Formal people leadership (supervisor or manager of engineers/technicians). Technical leadership of a cell or NPI team is sufficient for this variant.
• AS9100D audit participation, quality procedure ownership, or Manufacturing Readiness (MRL/MRA) experience.
• ERP master-data ownership (MBOM, routings, work centers) and facility/layout tools (AutoCAD or equivalent).
• Lean Six Sigma applied to assembly (not only training certificates).

What We Offer:

Beyond competitive pay, we offer:

• Full benefits from first of month following hire: medical, dental and vision
• 401(k) with generous company match and immediate vesting
• PTO and Federal holidays

The anticipated salary range for this position is $170,000-$220,000. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity.

Apply now! We're reviewing applications on a rolling basis. Let's build the future together. No agencies, please.

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