Head of Manufacturing

About this role

Cosmic Shielding is looking for a leader to help establish its cutting-edge manufacturing facility to produce the next generation of space electronic enclosures. This role is responsible for leading and optimizing all manufacturing operations to ensure safe, efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality production. This role oversees production teams, manufacturing processes, capacity planning, quality, maintenance, and continuous improvement initiatives while ensuring compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements. You will develop and execute operational strategies, manage budgets and resources, drive productivity, and partner closely with engineering, quality, and other cross-functional teams to meet production goals. The ideal candidate is a strategic and hands-on leader with strong experience in manufacturing operations, team development, lean methodologies, process improvement and performance management.

Responsibilities

• Manage the strategy for production line build process, equipment, tooling, inventory, and training.
• Develop an in-house CNC and 3D printing capability to deliver high-quality space-rated precision machined parts.
• Responsible for cost optimization and cost reduction initiatives associated with fabrication and processes.
• Build a local CNC and 3D printing facilities network by partnering with external facilities for increased production capacity.
• Evaluate the current manufacturing and fabrication methodologies utilized at CSC and create a development plan to grow and improve the techniques and capabilities.
• Analyze piece parts and assemblies for DFM to ensure that the parts are optimized for manufacturing and testing.

• Maintain a close feedback loop with downstream operations to ensure product success and implement rapid iterations.
• Support qualification builds and customer deliverables.
• Implement quality control processes to ensure equipment and hardware follow company quality requirements.
• Develop traveler/work instruction system.
• Develop an equipment maintenance and calibration process.
• Review quality concerns from piece part inspection and sign off on out of tolerance conditions following a rigorous investigation into the parts use case, assembly and testing.
• Demonstrate extreme ownership of projects through their entire lifecycle, from initial concept generation through fabrication and production bring-up.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or physics.
• 7+ years of machine shop experience
• Highly experienced working with nanocomposite materials, as well as a variety of metals.
• Experience operating CNCs, conventional lathe and mill machines, and other machine shop equipment used to manufacture high-precision parts
• Highly experienced with a variety of precision conventional and advance metrology systems (photogrammetry, CMMs, 3D imaging, Ultrasound).
• Well versed in GD&T and inspection procedures.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Master's degree

• Experience setting up and operating state-of-the art machining equipment
• Well versed in standard machine shop manufacturing processes and set ups
• Experience operating CNCs, conventional lathe and mill machines, and other machine shop equipment used to manufacture high-precision parts
• Demonstrated proficiency in CNC programming (lathes and mills)
• Experience working with and defining requirements for ERP, MRP, and MES systems.

• Competitive compensation - we want you to grow with us
• Generous medical, dental, and vision coverage on day one of employment
• 15 days of PTO annually
• 10 paid holidays annually + end of the year holiday shutdown
• 401K with employer match up to 4% of salary
• Employer-paid short-term and long-term disability, employer-sponsored life insurance and parental leave.