Manufacturing Operations Manager, Barracuda

ABOUT THE SITE

Anduril, a leader in autonomous systems and weapons manufacturing, is building Arsenal-1, its first hyper-scale manufacturing facility, just south of Columbus, Ohio in Pickaway County. Arsenal-1 is redefining the scale and speed that autonomous systems and weapons can be produced for the United States and its allies and partners. This is a monumental and essential step toward rebuilding America’s defense industrial base, strengthening America’s warfighting capabilities, and enhancing deterrence amid rising international threats.

ABOUT THE PRODUCT

The future of defense is being built right now, and Anduril’s Barracuda product is at its leading edge. Barracuda is a family of air breathing autonomous air vehicles (AAVS) purpose-built for hyper-scale production and mass employment. The Barracuda family of AAVs consist of Barracuda-100, Barracuda-250, and Barracuda-500. Each increment offers increasing size, range and payload capacity, but all barracudas are compatible with a host of payloads and employment mechanisms, support a variety of different missions, and provide warfighters with an adaptable and upgradeable capability to counter evolving threats.

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Barracuda Launch Team (BLT) will set the standard for building the future at Arsenal-1, our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Ashville, OH. This team will have the opportunity to train under our world-class manufacturing team at Anduril HQ in Costa Mesa, CA for 3 months before bringing that standard of excellence back to Ohio.

ABOUT THE JOB

We are seeking a Manager of Manufacturing Operations to join our growing team in Ashville, OH supporting Arsenal-1. Here you will work on cutting-edge technology aimed at advancing the state-of-the-possible. The Manager of Manufacturing Operations will manage a team of highly talented technicians to produce multiple platforms of hardware for strategic military and commercial customers. This is a highly dynamic role that requires both frontline technical and people management skills. This role is at the forefront of delivering exceptional customer experiences, fostering team development, and overseeing day-to-day vehicle delivery operations. Success in this role demands consistent achievement across customer satisfaction, team management, operations, and financial goals.

The ideal candidate has experience with New Product Introduction (NPI) and the technical acumen to communicate effectively. We are looking for a highly organized, self-motivated individual who is passionate about driving transformative change. While we value strong individual contributions, success here is a team effort.

**This role requires candidates to relocate to Costa Mesa for a 3-month training program. Housing, transportation, etc. will be provided during your stay.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Manage technician staff in the production and delivery of various hardware through factory acceptance. You will have the critical task of managing the priorities, equipment, and people associated with the production line.
• Set priorities and direct daily operations to include timely issuing and completion of work orders to the production floor.
• Ensure all operators are following safety procedures and their teams' safety training is current, documenting EHS incidents, correcting proactively workplace hazards in the areas, and empowering others to continuously improve operations.
• Manage, coach, mentor and support production technicians.
• Prioritize work activities for operators to achieve target on time delivery goals.
• Ensure quality standards are being met throughout the entire production process and support no defects from leaving a station or team area.
• Be able to provide high level reports out to Production Managers, Directors, and Head of Manufacturing as needed.
• Be an active participant in 5S and continuous improvement activities.
• Complete transactions in production systems (NetSuite / JIRA Anduril MES) on daily basis.
• Work cross functionally to ensure inventory levels are maintained and accurate in each work area.
• Provide weekly report out of production progress, blockers, risks, needs. Generate daily pass downs and weekly production reports for engineering and operations team.
• Lead daily communication with cross functional team such as engineering, technicians, supply chain, logistics, and quality as necessary.
• Build a positive and collaborative team culture that promotes product knowledge, skills development, and X-training.
• Show up every day with a high level of urgency and enthusiasm to get the job done.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 7+ years experience in production-oriented or electro-mechanical technician fields with at least 3+ years in a supervisor or production operations lead/manager role in a high volume production environment.
• Experience working with ERP and MES systems.
• A full understanding of the product life cycle (NPI to scaled production), LEAN manufacturing principals, and change management (ECOs).
• Can interpret technical documentation (mechanical drawings, work instructions, building plans, equipment specs, electrical schematics, etc.).
• Extremely reliable, organized and detail-oriented with excellent verbal & written communication skills.
• You have a passion for employee development and enjoy the process of training and developing both new hires and veteran production staff.
• Have proven skills in both process and equipment troubleshooting, allowing you to easily adapt to constantly changing production environments.
• Experience supporting process development.
• Knowledge of 5S, lean manufacturing or 6-Sigma principles.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient with MS office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project).
• U.S. Citizen Required

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• New Product Introduction (NPI) experience.
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in a technical field (engineering, business, or applied science).
• Lean six sigma green belt certified.
• Working knowledge of AS9100 standards and OSHA laws.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret Security Clearance.