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Salary: USD 220,000 - 292,000 / annual
Anduril Industries, a defense technology company, is seeking a Director of Production, Optics to lead all production outcomes for optical assemblies serving the Imaging Business Line. This role combines frontline technical leadership with strategic people management, requiring ownership of team development, on-time delivery, quality, cost management, and continuous improvement across mission-critical optical production.
Key responsibilities include:
**Production Ownership & Strategy:** Own all production outcomes for Optics across Imaging product lines, including ramp plans, headcount planning, and standing up new manufacturing lines. Develop and execute long-term strategy to rapidly scale production volumes to full-rate production.
**Leadership & Team Management:** Serve as strategic leader and tactical executor, driving people and resources across production to achieve outcomes. Lead cross-functional teams (Production, Supply Chain, Quality, Manufacturing Engineering) through strong leadership and consistent on-site presence, holding teams accountable to deadlines and goals.
**Operational Excellence:** Drive processes and systems throughout the product development lifecycle to mature products to full-rate production. Establish and manage team to key performance indicators (KPIs) for financial, quality, and on-time delivery metrics.
**Production Operations:** Oversee optical product line production, managing technicians and production staff to ensure efficient assembly, test, and delivery of imaging and optical hardware. Drive daily and weekly production execution across optical assembly lines and supply base, owning all production outcomes across delivery, cost, and quality targets.
**Value Stream Management:** Own visibility and flow across end-to-end value stream from supplier material deliveries through internal optical assembly, test, and shipment. Identify bottlenecks, drive root-cause resolution, and implement process improvements to increase throughput and reduce cycle time.
**Process & Technology Advancement:** Advise on development and oversee implementation of digital technologies (PLM, ERP, custom MES and QMS systems) that enable production operations to efficiently scale while meeting customer requirements. Shape corporate tools and processes to support unique needs of aerospace production.
**Quality & Safety:** Ensure quality and safety standards are followed across clean room and optical assembly environments, minimizing defects and fostering safe working environment.
**Continuous Improvement:** Lead 5S, Lean manufacturing, and other continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, optimize workflows, and scale production capacity.
**Strategic Communication:** Provide regular updates to senior leadership on production status, risks, and resource needs. Facilitate cross-functional collaboration with engineering, supply chain, quality, and program management.
**REQUIREMENTS:**
- Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering or related field
- 8+ years of experience in optical or complex electro-mechanical production, with 3+ years in senior production leadership
- Demonstrated experience standing up, scaling, and managing production of optical assemblies, precision hardware, or imaging systems (defense, aerospace, or adjacent industries strongly preferred)
- Working knowledge of optical assembly processes, clean room manufacturing environments, and optical test and inspection methods
- Proven expertise with ERP, MRP, and MES systems, coupled with strong understanding of Lean manufacturing, NPI, and change management (ECOs)
- Ability to interpret complex technical documentation (drawings, schematics, work instructions) and troubleshoot processes and equipment
- Demonstrated success in employee development, coaching, and mentorship
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, highly organized, and detail-oriented
- Eligible to obtain and maintain active U.S. Secret security clearance
