Director, Factory Operations

Job Summary

Mercury Systems is seeking an experienced Director of Factory Operations to lead daily operations across our Torrance and Cypress, California manufacturing facilities. This role partners closely with cross‑functional teams to achieve both short‑ and long‑range operational goals. The Director is responsible for ensuring both sites meet customer, quality, delivery, and financial requirements while driving operational excellence, continuous improvement, and a high‑performance culture.

In This Role You Will

• Define goals, drive deliverables, and resolve operational challenges while leading cross‑functional teams representing manufacturing, quality assurance, supply chain, and engineering across both facilities.
• Develop operations plans, budgets, staffing strategies, and policies that support revenue and margin objectives for the Torrance and Cypress sites.
• Translate customer and program requirements into advanced manufacturing strategies and processes that ensure cost‑effective, high‑quality production.
• Maintain AS9100 processes, key operational metrics, IPC certifications, and all safety and regulatory compliance requirements for both locations.
  
  

Job Responsibilities

• Meeting production requirements that support Mercury’s revenue plan across both California factories.
• Ensuring daily manufacturing and production objectives are executed in a timely, cost‑effective, and quality‑focused manner.
• Maintaining standards for safety, product quality, delivery performance, and operational value.
• Driving the development and implementation of operating methods and procedures to eliminate bottlenecks, improve product quality, and increase efficiency.
• Optimizing factory performance through Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, 5S, and other continuous improvement methodologies to maximize productivity, capacity, and throughput while minimizing lead time and WIP.
• Building, developing, and mentoring a high‑performing operations team across both sites.
• Managing COGS through cost control, material usage efficiency, labor utilization, and quality performance.
• Overseeing the full product lifecycle within the factory environment, from NPI through full‑rate production.
• Measuring factory performance and driving continuous improvement through regular business reviews and performance assessments.
• Implementing daily, weekly, and monthly KPIs for manufacturing, production, and operations, including shop‑floor metrics that demonstrate efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
• Managing plans to avoid delivery and inventory issues and providing guidance on corrective actions.
• Establishing and controlling production conditions to meet customer, regulatory, and quality specifications.
• Participating in standardization efforts, cost‑reduction initiatives, and ERP/MRP system improvements, including digital transformation of operations.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Experience in Aerospace, Defense, or high‑tech manufacturing environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Supply Chain Management, or equivalent experience.
• 10 years of manufacturing experience, preferably in electronics or complex assemblies.
• Minimum 8 years of leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication and people‑leadership skills with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Demonstrated expertise implementing Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, 5S, and other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use metrics to drive decision‑making.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems (Oracle preferred), MES systems, and digital operations initiatives.
• Ability to lead cross‑functional teams and influence without direct authority.
• This is an on‑site leadership role supporting both Torrance, CA and Cypress, CA facilities. Regular presence at both locations is required.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications in Lean, Six Sigma (Green Belt / Black Belt), operational excellence preferred
• Prior experience in defense / aerospace or similarly regulated industries preferred
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management; ability to articulate status, issues, risk to senior leadership
• Comfortable in high-pressure, fast-paced environments; adaptability & problem-solving mindset
• Advanced degree / Masters
  
  

“This position requires you to have or obtain a government security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens.”

, Fulltime Equivalent Job Grade Salary Range for this position

• $138,900.00 - $250,000.00 annual salary for in-office or hybrid employees in FL, GA, IN, AZ, AL, MD or TX, and all remote employees
• $155,600.00 - $280,000.00 annual salary for in-office or hybrid employees in VA, CA, NH or MA
• $163,900.00 - $295,000.00 annual salary for in-office or hybrid employees in NJ,
  
  

Mercury considers a variety of factors to determine individual base salary offers to candidates, including:

• the role and related responsibilities;
• prior work experience;
• education, training, skills and certifications;
• internal equity with others employed by Mercury in similar roles;
• geographic location; and
• alignment with market data.
  
  

In addition to base salary, Mercury provides a variety of benefits for team members including:

• bonus opportunities (or special incentives for sales positions);
• health, life and disability insurance;
• company-paid holidays and time off;
• 401(k) retirement plan;
• discounted employee stock purchase plan;
• tuition reimbursement; and
• access to professional development and personal wellness platforms including LinkedIn Learning, Headspace, Aaptiv and Virgin Pulse.
  
  

Team members at the Director or Vice President level are also eligible to receive annual stock-based awards.

Mercury offers a 9/80 alternative work schedule that provides employees more opportunity for work/ life balance (available based off location)



Why should you join Mercury Systems?

Mercury Systems is a technology company that makes the world a safer, more secure place. We push processing power to the tactical edge, making the latest commercial technologies profoundly more accessible for today's most challenging aerospace and defense missions. From silicon to system scale, Mercury enables customers to accelerate innovation and turn data into decision superiority. Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, Mercury employs more than 2,300 people in 24 locations worldwide. To learn more, visit mrcy.com

Our Culture

We are committed to making Mercury a great place to work, no matter where our employees are located. We offer a casual and enjoyable atmosphere that allows employees to learn and grow. We help and care for one another and work as one to achieve results for us and for our customers. We value communication and transparency, and strive to foster two-way dialogue at all levels of the organization. We are committed to lifelong learning, offering comprehensive skills training and tuition reimbursement. Whether you're just starting out on your career journey or you are an experienced professional, it's important to us that you feel recognized and rewarded for your contributions.

To find out more about Why Mercury?, or visit the Mercury Community or find answers to general questions at Mercury FAQs

Mercury Systems is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, creed, citizenship, disability, protected veteran or marital status.

As an equal opportunity employer, Mercury Systems is committed to a diverse workforce. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact the number below.

(978) 256-1300