Manufacturing Director – Lunar Tanks

Key Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end responsibility for propellant tank manufacturing process development, from build and flow and work instruction development through inspection, cleaning, and test
• Lead a multi-disciplinary team of Technicians, Welders, and Manufacturing Engineers
• Drive collaborative manufacturing technical decision-making to drive efficient manufacturing processes and safe and effective testing strategies, ensuring robust, consistent, and reliable process capability
• Understanding of Welding manufacturing processes, including Stir Friction Welding, Variable Polarity Plasma Arc (VPPA) Welding, Orbital Tube Welding, and Manual Welding
• Champion Design for X (DFX) principles — including Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) and Design for Test (DFT) — to reduce cost and cycle time without compromising safety or quality
• Collaborate proactively with Engineering in the early stages of product development to lead and support design for manufacturability (DFM) initiatives
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of managers, manufacturing engineers, technicians, and support personnel
• Set clear performance expectations and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and inclusion
• Identify and develop future leaders within the tank organization
• Communicate vision, priorities, and progress effectively at all levels of the organization — from shop floor technicians to executive leadership
• Develop and manage production schedules, budgets, resource plans, and capital equipment planning to meet delivery milestones
• Own department budgets, staffing levels, and capital equipment planning and implementation
• Lead production readiness reviews and participate in test readiness reviews as applicable
• Track and communicate key performance indicators including cost, schedule, quality, and safety metrics
• Anticipate production risks and develop robust mitigation strategies to protect delivery commitments
• Represent the Lunar Manufacturing Operations organization in vehicle-level integration reviews, program milestones, and gated reviews as required
• Engage with customers, regulators (FAA, NASA), and external stakeholders as required
• Present production status, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership and executive staff
• Identify and implement process improvement opportunities across tank manufacturing and test operations, capturing the impact of improvements to safety, quality, and process efficiency
• Leverage the use of automation where appropriate to improve consistency and improve product quality
• Leverage and drive the use of manufacturing execution system (MES) and the implementation Material Resource Planning (MRP)
• Benchmark industry best practices and drive innovation across the tank product line

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Aerospace Engineering (or other relevant fields) from an accredited university
• 15+ years of relevant engineering and manufacturing support experience
• Experience leading cross functional manufacturing teams including Welders, Technicians, Inspectors, and Manufacturing Engineering teams in research, development, and production environments thru rapid development cycles
• Advanced experience in complex hardware manufacturing (e.g., friction-stir welding, machining, cleaning, non-destructive testing methods, complex assembly, and acceptance testing)
• Engineering leadership experience in an aerospace environment with space hardware, aircraft, or similar mission-critical, high-value components
• Previous experience and demonstrated success in developing and starting new manufacturing processes
• Strong personnel and project management skills
• Ability to operate, make decisions, and lead effectively in ambiguous…