Principal Manufacturing Operations Manager, ‑Axis Machining

Ready to architect a world‑class 5‑axis operation at TRD?

If you thrive on turning complexity into competitive advantage, this role puts you at the helm of TRD’s manufacturing engine. You’ll blend strategic investment decisions with on‑the‑floor leadership to deliver repeatable speed, precision, and quality.

The mission

Guide our Manufacturing Engineering, Production Control, and Quality functions to deliver tight‑tolerance race engine components and scalable commercial parts — on time, at quality, and with OEE ≥80% across 18+ 5‑axis CNC machines.

• Set direction:
  Own equipment evaluation/selection, ROI and capital planning, facility layout, and workforce planning across the operation.
• Engineer excellence:
  Define processes for TRD‑manufactured components; apply advanced CNC programming, tooling, fixturing, and verification to full 5‑axis work.
• Control flow:
  Orchestrate two work streams — low‑volume, high‑precision, short‑lead‑time race parts and higher‑volume commercial runs — through rigorous scheduling and execution.
• Assure quality:
  Build an inspection culture that elevates in‑house and supplier performance.
• Adopt the future:
  Introduce automation, robotics, and AI‑assisted tools to enhance efficiency, quality, and capability.
• Champion safety and collaboration:
  Partner with Planning/Purchasing, Design Engineering, Race Engine Build, Commercial Assembly, and EHS on matters impacting the manufacturing floor.
• Lead people:
  Inspire a ~40‑member team — from postgraduate engineers to shop‑floor technicians — with a “see, touch, feel” leadership philosophy.

• Earned a Bachelor’s in Engineering or Operations Management (Master’s welcome).
• Accumulated 10+ years in high‑precision, automated 5‑axis CNC environments and 5+ years leading multi‑disciplinary teams.
• Owned process definition/optimization, production scheduling, and inspection methods — and delivered measurable results.
• Managed to OEE and operational KPIs with data‑first rigor.
• Excelled in complex, tight‑tolerance, 5‑axis high‑speed milling.
• Leveraged ERP/MRP and shop‑floor systems to drive performance.
• Led 40+ people, including leaders of leaders.

• Hyper Mill power‑user;
  Creo and Vericut experience.
• Applied AI‑assisted tools (LLMs) for analysis, documentation, and process improvement.
• Worked across billet, forging, and casting materials.
• Advanced Excel and MS Office proficiency.
• Designed, machined, and assembled fixtures/tooling.
• Built mixed‑volume, mixed‑complexity schedules end‑to‑end.

Travel up to 10%, primarily to TRD facilities and motorsports events.

Compensation: $ – $ annual base salary range.

Why Toyota | Why TRDCollaborative. Collaborative. Respectful. A place to dream and do. Toyota empowers people to build the future of mobility. At TRD, we aim to be the most respected motorsports engineering organization — and your leadership in manufacturing is central to that ambition.

To save time applying, Toyota does not offer sponsorship of job applicants for employment-based visas or any other work authorization for this position at this time.

Applicants for our positions are considered without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, religion, military or veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by law.