Senior Aerospace Soft Goods / Parachutes / Tactical Gear Production Engineering Program Manager

Job Summary

We are seeking a dynamic and highly skilled Aerospace Soft Goods / Parachutes / Tactical Gear Production Engineering Program Manager to lead the development, production, and continuous improvement of advanced aerospace soft goods and tactical gear products. In this pivotal role, you will oversee complex engineering projects, coordinate cross-functional teams, and drive program success through innovative process management, rigorous quality standards, and strategic planning. Your leadership will ensure that our products meet stringent safety, performance, and reliability requirements while optimizing cost and schedule objectives. This position offers an exciting opportunity to influence cutting-edge aerospace and tactical gear manufacturing processes in a fast-paced, technology-driven environment. The candidate will be working closely with team leaders, supply chain project manager, production managers, prototypers, engineers, and technicians to determine resource allocation, production bottlenecks, and project priorities. Also, this discipline will provide manufacturing schedules and visibility across the team and various sites to meet customer deliveries. The candidate will also be responsible for ordering and managing consumables and raw stock inventory as well as optimizing flow with vendors, leading to a smooth manufacturing process. The candidate must connect with the team, be dynamic, and exhibit leadership for continuous improvement and mentorship of peers and junior associates in the ERP system's disciplined execution.

Key Responsibilities & Qualifications

• Program Execution: Lead softgoods and parachute development projects and production from initial concept through prototyping, qualification, and high-rate production.
• Production Oversight: Manage manufacturing workflows, scale assembly lines, and establish build processes for textile and complex softgoods structural systems.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Align teams across design, manufacturing, quality assurance, and supply chain to resolve engineering challenges and keep projects on schedule.
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM): Work closely with production engineers to optimize softgoods designs based on manufacturing capabilities, material availability, and cost.
• Risk Management: Identify critical-path production issues, track program budgets, and implement technical mitigations.
• Quality & Compliance: Partner with QA to uphold strict aerospace quality standards, traceability, and repeatable build processes.
• Apply knowledge of mechanical engineering and scientific principles to develop, design, analyze, test, and validate solutions for complex softgoods (textile) structural systems and parts
• Create build-to-print soft goods products based on set of given prints and derived requirements
• Modify designs based upon manufacturing capabilities, cost and schedule
• Hold internal design reviews and presentations among upper management and peers
• Prepare manufacturing drawings to ANSI Y14.5M standards using GD&T for manufacturability and repeatability
• Must possess complete understanding of textile material properties and their application is aerospace environments
• Manage project schedules utilizing ERP system
• Create bills of materials, workshop instructions, and work travelers
• Create production processes and select required equipment for production
• Mentor staff and lead team productivity

CORE COMPETENCIES:

· ACCOUNTABILITY – Accountable for measurable, high quality, timely, and cost-effective results

· INITIATIVE – Takes prompt action to accomplish tasks and meet goals and objectives

· PROBLEM SOLVING/DECISION MAKING – Identifies and analyzes problems weighing the relevance and accuracy of available information. Generates and evaluates alternative solutions and makes effective and timely decisions

· QUANTITY/QUALITY of WORK – Pays close attention to detail. Strives to achieve accuracy and consistency in all tasks

· SERVICE ORIENTATION – Applies effective interpersonal and problem-solving skills when responding to customers, fellow employees, or outside contractors

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• BS in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering or related field
• Proficient in SolidWorks and operational knowledge in manufacturing equipment
• Must have excellent multi-tasking skills, be a self-starter, have the ability to work well under pressure, and meet deadlines consistently
• Ability to comprehend and carry out oral and written drawing instructions.
• Capable of using standard measuring tools.
• Be able to perform the physical demands of the job
• DoD, Military contract experience a plus
• Minimum ten years working experience in industrial design, aerospace and spacecraft design, inflatable aircraft design, high altitude spacecraft design, engineering or product development
• Minimum ten years working in a manufacturing environment

· Two years minimum of shopfloor management and operations experience; ownership of productivity, machine utilization, and machine scheduling alongside manufacturing team leaders.

· Three years in program/project management.

· Multi-site ownership of production control, schedules, ordering and operations.

· Knowledge of textile operations.

· Knowledge of sewing, cutting, and pattern making.

· Familiarity with AS or ISO certifications.

· Experience with E2 Shoptech software (desired)

· Office: word, excel, and PowerPoint

· Parachute manufacturing experience a plus

· Blackbelt (preferred)

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

(*) The work environment for this job is in an office and can require you to go into the manufacturing shop floor, which is heated and air-conditioned. The noise level is usually high due to industrial machines. This position requires frequent walking, frequent standing, frequent lifting, frequent typing, frequent use of a computer screen, as well as sitting at a desk.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

(*) The position requires that the employee be regularly required to stand, move, talk, see, and hear. The employee is regularly required to life, stand; walk; reach with hands and arms. Must be able to lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities include close, distance, and color vision. Specific physical abilities include abilities to move items in all directions with body, hands, and fingers.

(*) Note: Both the Physical Demand and Work Environment sections are required by the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).

WORK LOCATION:

• One location; Mesa, AZ 85212 (Required)

PRIMARY LANGUAGE:

• English
• Bilingual skills preferred (English/Spanish)

WORK AUTHORIZATION:

• United States (Required) Must be a U.S. person in order to comply with all applicable U.S. export control and security regulations. U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident with documentation.

Pay: $80,416.38 - $100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Relocation assistance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $80,416 - $100,000