Production Program Manager

Program Manager

At Areté, we are on the forefront of developing innovative solutions, with great minds from all backgrounds, to help solve the nation's most complex security challenges. We strive for an inclusive, collaborative team environment that approaches differences as opportunities for innovation and excellence. As an employee-owned company, we foster an atmosphere that propels diverse career opportunities and professional growth.

Discover your future with us.

We are seeking an experienced Program Manager to own full-rate production of advanced military laser systems. After receiving the product from the NPI/development program manager, you will lead the program through capacity scaling, yield improvement, cost reduction, and touch-labor optimization. The ideal candidate has direct experience working in high volume production environments for Electro-Optic or Laser products. This role is ideal for a data-driven, operations-minded leader with strong manufacturing acumen and the ability to influence cross-functional teams in a high-reliability, regulated production environment.

You'll serve as the hub for production efforts, orchestrating manufacturing engineering, technicians, quality, test, supply chain, finance, and customer stakeholders. You will drive production execution, eliminate bottlenecks, improve throughput, and deliver recurring units at high quality, on schedule, and at target cost. This position will be based at our Niwot, CO office and is classified as an exempt, non-supervisory, full-time role.

Key Responsibilities:

• Full-Rate Production Leadership
• Scaling & Throughput Optimization
• Cost Reduction & Touch-Labor Efficiency
• Quality, Yield, and Stability
• Program Planning & Control
• Cross-Functional Leadership

We have an impressive range of benefits, programs, and perks that we offer:

• Health & Wellness:
  Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance;
  Life and Long-Term Disability (LTD);
  Vision Reimbursement;
  Fitness Reimbursement
• Financial:
  Company-funded 5% contribution to your 401(k) retirement plan;
  Company-funded 5% contribution to your Employee Stock Ownership Plan;
  Continuing Education Assistance
• Work-Life Balance:
  Flexible Scheduling;
  Paid Time Off (PTO);
  Paid Parental and Bereavement Leave

Qualities We Look For:

• Creativity and innovation in solving challenges
• Integrity and responsibility in all actions
• Collaboration across teams and specialties
• Responsiveness in fast-paced environments
• Passion for national security and excellence

Experiences and Background We Look For (Required Skills):

• 5–10+ years of project/program management in production environments, ideally in laser systems, electro-optics, defense hardware, or high-reliability manufacturing.
• Demonstrated success running full-rate production and driving capacity scaling, cost reduction, and yield improvement.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, tooling, fixtures, test flows, and design-for-manufacture principles.
• Ability to read mechanical drawings (GD&T), electrical/optical schematics, and comprehensive BOM structures.
• Expertise in production KPIs: takt time, throughput, OEE, FPY, Cpk, labor utilization, and cost breakdowns.
• Experienced in Lean/continuous improvement methodologies.
• Skilled in building and managing schedules, budgets, and forecasts using MS Project/Primavera and ERP/MRP systems.
• Excellent communication skills and comfort working with suppliers, internal leadership, and defense customers.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, or equivalent technical discipline.

Nice to Have (Preferred Skills):

• Experience with high-volume optical alignment, precision mechanical assembly, or laser module production.
• Familiarity with automation, robotic handling, or semi-automated optical alignment/test systems.
• Experience with EVMS, cost reporting, and DCMA interactions.
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt).
• MBA or Master's degree in Engineering.

The salary range for this role is $125,000 to $180,000; however, Arete considers several factors when extending an offer of employment, including but not limited to: the position and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills.

Othe…