Ship Build Strategist

Ship Build Strategist

We are seeking a Ship Build Strategist to define how our autonomous vessels are built — the build sequence, block and zone breakdown, and stage-of-construction plan that carry a hull from prefabrication through commissioning and delivery. This role is responsible for developing, owning, and continuously improving the integrated build strategy across our shipyard, translating approved designs into the most efficient, buildable path through the shipyard.

The Ship Build Strategist serves as a central point between engineering, production, and planning — maximizing pre-outfitting, minimizing rework and rehandling, and aligning the build to facility, capacity, and schedule constraints so vessel milestones are achieved safely and on schedule. The ideal candidate combines shipbuilding or complex-fabrication experience with strong methods and industrialization thinking, and thrives in a fast-paced environment where priorities evolve rapidly.

• Develop and own the build strategy for each vessel and program — block/zone breakdown, assembly and erection sequence, and the stage-of-construction plan from keel to delivery

• Develop and maintain a master integrated production schedule

• Translate approved designs into buildable work sequences, maximizing pre-outfitting and pre-commissioning and minimizing rework, rehandling, and staging conflicts

• Create detailed work breakdown structures (WBS), unit/zone boundaries, and work packages aligned to how Production actually builds

• Integrate the build strategy with the master production schedule and Production Control so sequence, capacity, and facility constraints (ways, cranes, shops, bays) align

• Feed producibility and design-for-production requirements back to engineering; influence the design baseline so it can be built efficiently

• Partner with manufacturing engineering and optimization teams to align methods, tooling, robotics, and MES / work-instruction packaging to the build sequence

• Identify build risks, constraints, and recovery or optimization opportunities across the stage of construction

• Facilitate build-strategy and sequencing input to daily, weekly, and monthly production planning and schedule reviews

• Support launch, dock trials, sea trials, and customer delivery readiness by sequencing build and commissioning work coherently

• Support capacity planning, make/buy and modularization decisions, and new-program industrialization and estimating

• Establish and maintain build-strategy standards, playbooks, and lessons learned across programs

• Maintain build-strategy and planning data within ERP, MES, project management, and scheduling systems

• Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on throughput, cycle time, and delivery predictability

• Bachelor's degree in Naval Architecture, Marine / Mechanical / Industrial Engineering, Construction or Project Management, or related discipline; equivalent experience may be considered

• 5+ years of experience in shipbuilding, production / manufacturing engineering, build planning, industrial construction, or project controls

• Experience with modular / block construction, build sequencing, and stage-of-construction planning

• Strong understanding of production workflows and shipyard, manufacturing, or industrial construction environments

• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, production plans, and technical documentation

• Strong analytical and organizational skills with attention to detail

• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams and competing priorities

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

• Comfortable working directly within shipyard, manufacturing, or operational environments

• Familiarity with ERP, MES, or digital production management systems

• Familiarity with aluminum vessel construction and/or naval / defense programs

• Understanding of critical path scheduling, earned value management, or project controls methodologies

• Exposure to lean / industrial-engineering methods and to automation or robotics in fabrication

• Experience with resource planning, capacity modeling, and production forecasting

• Familiarity with…