Director of Engineering Aerospace Manufacturing

Position Summary

The Senior Manager / Director of Engineering is responsible for leading day-to-day engineering execution within an AS9100-accredited aerospace manufacturing facility. This role provides operational leadership to Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering Technicians, Test Engineering, and Configuration Management, ensuring engineering rigor, production readiness, and compliance across all programs.

Reporting to the Vice President of Engineering, this position serves as a critical cross-functional leader, working closely with Program Management, Quality, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to drive performance, scalability, and continuous improvement. The role plays a central part in New Product Introduction (NPI), tooling and automation development, and error-proofed manufacturing processes.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership & Execution

• Lead and manage day-to-day activities for Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering Technicians, Test Engineering, and Configuration Management.
• Translate program requirements into executable manufacturing plans that meet cost, Quality, schedule, and compliance objectives.
• Ensure engineering resources are aligned to production priorities and program ramp-ups.
• Establish clear accountability, metrics, and performance expectations across the engineering organization.

Manufacturing & Program Support

• Serve as the primary engineering interface to Program Management, supporting proposal activities, production planning, and execution.
• Partner with Manufacturing leadership to ensure process readiness, capacity planning, and efficient production flow.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain to support make/buy decisions, tooling strategies, supplier readiness, and manufacturability.
• Work closely with the Quality Director to ensure robust process controls, FAI readiness, and continuous compliance with AS9100 and customer requirements.

New Product Introduction (NPI)

• Lead engineering execution for New Product Introduction efforts, ensuring a disciplined transition from development to production.
• Establish and lead formal NPI gate/phase reviews, ensuring technical, manufacturing, Quality, and supply chain readiness at each phase.
• Drive manufacturability reviews, risk assessments, and production readiness reviews as part of the gated NPI process.
• Ensure tooling, fixtures, test equipment, and work instructions are developed, validated, and released prior to production authorization.
• Identify and mitigate technical, schedule, and manufacturing risks early in the NPI lifecycle.

Tooling, Automation & Process Improvement

• Lead development and deployment of production tooling, fixtures, and test equipment.
• Drive automation initiatives to improve safety, Quality, throughput, and cost.
• Implement error-proofing (poka-yoke) strategies across manufacturing and test processes.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives leveraging Lean, Six Sigma, and aerospace manufacturing best practices.

Configuration Management & Compliance

• Ensure disciplined configuration management, change control, and documentation practices.
• Oversee engineering change implementation to minimize disruption to production.
• Maintain compliance with AS9100, customer specifications, and internal engineering standards.
• Support internal and external audits, including customer and regulatory audits.

People Development & Organizational Growth

• Mentor and develop engineering leaders and technical staff.
• Support workforce planning, hiring, and succession development within the engineering organization.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Electrical, Aerospace, or related field).
• Familiarity with ERP and MES systems in a regulated manufacturing environment.
• 12 years of progressive experience in aerospace or defense manufacturing.
• Proven leadership experience managing multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong working knowledge of AS9100, FAI, configuration management, and production engineering.
• Demonstrated success leading NPI, tooling development, and manufacturing process improvements.
• Excellent cross-functional communication and leadership skills.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in engineering or business (MBA).
• Experience with automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing technologies.
• Lean Six Sigma certification or equivalent continuous improvement experience.
• Experience supporting government or defense programs.

Leadership Competencies

• Operationally focused, hands-on leadership style.
• Strong decision-making and prioritization skills.
• Ability to balance engineering rigor with production urgency.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to influence across organizations.
• Commitment to Quality, safety, and compliance.