Manufacturing Operations Lead Job Northern Kentucky USA,Manufacturing / Production

The Opportunity:

Seneca is looking for a Manufacturing Operations Lead to build and run the manufacturing system required to produce our aircraft reliably at increasing volume. You turn production goals into an executable production plan: material requirements, procurement, inventory, build schedules, staffing, work instructions, assembly, testing, and aircraft release. You will help transition final assembly and test into a dedicated production operation, ensuring that materials, tooling, documentation, people, and quality controls are ready when needed.

This is a hands-on role. You will perform aircraft assembly and test yourself, using firsthand build experience to create practical work instructions, improve production processes, and give Engineering actionable design-for-assembly and design-for-test feedback. You will also right-size manufacturing processes for our stage. The goal is to introduce enough structure to improve safety, quality, traceability, and predictability without imposing high-volume manufacturing processes on a product that is still evolving rapidly.

You will be the single source of truth for production readiness and status, coordinating across Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Test, Launch, and external suppliers. You will also build the manufacturing operating system—including our MES, inventory controls, production schedules, standard work, readiness gates, and metrics—that makes each aircraft build more repeatable and scalable.

What You’ll Do:

Own manufacturing operations from the production plan through final assembly, test, and aircraft release to flight test.
Translate company delivery and launch commitments into an integrated production schedule, including milestones, dependencies, owners, risks, and critical path. Maintain clear, current communication on production status, material readiness, risks, decisions, and open actions.
Establish and maintain a manufacturing execution system appropriate to our scale and product maturity, including production records, routings, work instructions, travelers, part and serial-number traceability, test results, rework, and aircraft configuration history.
Own inventory management and material readiness.
Work hands-on in aircraft assembly and test to develop production flow, workstation layout, tooling, fixtures, work instructions, and standard processes. Translate build-floor observations into actionable design-for-assembly and design-for-test feedback for Engineering.
Build, train, and lead a dedicated final assembly and test team.
Establish appropriate incoming inspection, in-process checks, end-of-line testing, and release criteria.
Drive timely resolution of nonconformances, rework, recurring defects, and production blockers.
Coordinate a defined handoff of completed and tested aircraft to the Launch Program Manager and customer deployment team.
Feed recurring manufacturing issues and lessons learned back into Product, Engineering, Quality, and supplier decisions.

Background and

Experience:

7+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, production management, supply chain, industrial operations, or a similar role.
Experience scaling a complex physical product from prototype or low-rate production into a repeatable manufacturing operation, with the willingness and ability to work hands‑on in assembly and test.
Hands‑on experience with production planning, inventory management, procurement, and manufacturing systems such as MES or ERP.
Strong cross‑functional planning, risk management, and execution skills.
The ability to turn ambiguous production goals into detailed, actionable processes and operating rhythms.
Experience building and leading teams of assemblers, technicians, or other production personnel.
A practical…