Founding Manufacturing Engineering Leader

About the CompanyWe are a stealth-stage defense manufacturing venture backed by an established, AS9100-certified precision aerospace and defense contract manufacturer. Our parent company machines flight-critical and defense-critical components for tier-1 primes including programs across space launch, missile defense, and advanced weapons systems.This new entity is being purpose-built around a sole-source defense program with a contractually committed multi-year production ramp. We are standing up a dedicated facility, installing a new production cell, and building the team that will own this program from prototype through full-rate production. The backlog is real. The customer is committed. The ramp is defined.We operate as an AI-native manufacturer. Our leadership team builds and deploys AI-powered tools across every function — scheduling, procurement, compliance, process engineering. This is not a bolt-on initiative; it’s how we run the business. The people we hire will co-develop these tools and operate at a level of leverage that traditional manufacturing organizations can’t match.About the RoleWe’re hiring our Founding Director of Engineering to lead and grow the manufacturing engineering team. You’ll oversee engineers and machinists responsible for CNC programming, process development, and shop floor execution — both for the existing operation and for the dedicated production cell being stood up for the new defense program. This is a founding role with equity participation.This is a people-leadership and operational-leadership role. You’ll own team development, project prioritization, resource allocation, and throughput — making sure the right work gets done at the right quality at the right time. You’ll work alongside senior technical staff who own deep technical direction; your job is to build and lead the team, manage the portfolio, and ensure engineering capacity keeps pace with a defined, aggressive production ramp.The parent operation already runs a high volume of concurrent programs across 5-axis milling, multi-axis mill-turn, and conventional machining for aerospace and defense primes. The new program adds a dedicated cell with multi-tasking machine tools, cobot-assisted assembly, and a path toward lights-out machining. The engineering challenges are real and the stakes are high — but the backlog, the equipment investment, and the customer commitment are all in place.Key ResponsibilitiesTeam Leadership & Development•      Lead, mentor, and grow a team of manufacturing engineers and machinists — build a culture of ownership, craftsmanship, and continuous improvement•      Hire and develop top talent; build team structures and workflows that scale from current volume through full-rate production•      Run regular 1:1s, project reviews, and technical development sessions to keep your team sharp and engagedProgram Execution & Prioritization•      Track and prioritize a large, fast-moving portfolio of concurrent projects — know what’s on time, what’s at risk, and where to direct engineering resources•      Own the engineering readiness plan for the production ramp — process development, first article execution, cycle time optimization, and transition to rate production•      Partner with supply chain, operations, and leadership to align engineering capacity with production schedules and customer commitmentsTechnical Oversight•      Hold a high technical bar on CNC programming, process planning, tooling selection, and fixturing across the team’s output•      Drive adoption of modern CAM platforms, simulation and verification tools, and process optimization techniques•      Engage meaningfully with your engineers on technical decisions — you don’t need to be the best programmer on the floor, but you need to know what good looks likeTechnology & AI Integration•      Champion the integration of AI-powered tools into engineering workflows — post-processor development, process documentation, scheduling, and beyond•      Help stand up and optimize a new production cell featuring multi-tasking CNC equipment, cobot-assisted assembly, and a roadmap toward lights-out operation•      Work with leadership to co-develop internal software tools (MES, digital scheduling, AI-assisted process planning) that give your team a structural advantageWhat We’re Looking For•      8+ years in manufacturing engineering, with at least 3 years in a people-leadership or management role•      Strong hands-on background in CNC machining, CAM programming, and precision manufacturing processes — aerospace or defense experience strongly preferred•      Exceptional people manager: you’ve built teams, developed talent, and created environments people want to work in•      Proven ability to manage a high volume of concurrent projects without losing visibility or letting things slip•      Comfortable with modern CAM platforms, ERP/MES systems, and genuinely excited about incorporating AI tools into engineering workflows•      Comfortable working in ITAR-controlled environments with AS9100 quality management systems•      Moves with urgency, communicates proactively, and leads by example on the shop floorWhy This Opportunity•      Founding role with equity participation in a defense manufacturing venture with a contractually committed, multi-year production ramp•      The backlog is real. Sole-source defense program, committed customer, defined production schedule. This is not speculative•      New facility, new production cell, new equipment. Multi-tasking machine tools, cobot assembly, lights-out machining roadmap — you’ll help stand it all up•      Engineering is the core of the business. The parent operation invests 35% of labor budget in engineering — roughly 3x the industry norm. That philosophy carries forward•      Build with AI, not around it. You’ll help shape what AI-native manufacturing engineering looks like in practice•      Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) with strong positioning in defense sole-source and set-aside programs•      Backed by an established AS9100-certified manufacturer with existing tier-1 defense prime relationships