Senior Manager, Manufacturing Optimization

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Manufacturing Operations Team plays a vital role in driving operational excellence and delivering high-quality products that support Anduril's mission of advancing defense capabilities.

ABOUT THE JOB 

We are seeking a Senior Manager, Manufacturing Optimization to lead optimization efforts across our manufacturing sites in the U.S. This role involves significant travel to various facilities, where you will be responsible for identifying and resolving operational issues, driving continuous improvement initiatives, and eliminating waste to enhance efficiency.

Key responsibilities include mentoring and coaching group leaders and operations managers, setting up and refining both people and throughput systems, and managing shop floor operations to ensure alignment with best practices. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in manufacturing management, with a proven track record of building systems from the ground up in a fast-paced startup environment. Join us in transforming our manufacturing operations and empowering our workforce for success!

A successful candidate will be expected to work out of Costa Mesa, CA or Ashville, OH. Based on eligibility, relocation assistance may be available. There will be 50% travel required for role.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Establish a scalable operating system (tiered accountability, daily management, KPI trees, visual management) aligned to safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Strengthen cross-functional execution by integrating Ops, Quality, ME, Supply Chain, and Test into shared problem-solving and prioritized action plans.
• Standardize processes and work content to reduce variation, improve first-pass yield, and enable predictable staffing models and flexible labor deployment.
• Drive continuous improvement using structured problem solving (A3/8D), waste elimination, and targeted kaizen to improve flow and performance.
• Lead rapid triage on critical constraints and escapes across all Anduril facilities—stabilize safety/quality events, throughput losses, and schedule risks using standard escalation and containment playbooks.
• Coach and develop Group Leaders and Managers through daily Gemba, leader standard work, and structured feedback.
• Capture and deploy best practices across lines/cells/sites via playbooks, standard work libraries, and replication mechanisms with clear ownership and audit cadence.
• Develop practical tools and structures (dashboards, hour-by-hour boards, problem queues, skills boards) that improve visibility, prioritization, and decision speed.
• Identify opportunities for improvement that helps get the team closer to world class and take ownership over executing said improvements.
• Set up processes and structure that can far outlast your time supporting the team and help create a repeatable and scalable manufacturing system.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 7+ years of experience managing manufacturing and production operations
• 3+ years in a supervisor or production operations lead/manager role in a high-volume production environment
• A full understanding of the product life cycle (NPI to scaled production), LEAN manufacturing principals, and change management (ECOs)
• Can interpret technical documentation (mechanical drawings, work instructions, building plans, equipment specs, electrical schematics, etc.)
• Extremely reliable, organized and detail-oriented with excellent verbal & written communication skills
• You have a passion for employee development and enjoy the process of training and developing both new hires and veteran production staff
• Have proven skills in both process and equipment troubleshooting, allowing you to easily adapt to constantly changing production environments
• Experience supporting process development
• Knowledge of 5S, lean manufacturing or 6-Sigma principles
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient with MS office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project)
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor or Master’s degree in a technical field (engineering, business, or applied science)
• Working knowledge of AS9100 standards and OSHA laws