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Salary: USD 250,000 - 320,000 / annual
Overland AI, founded in 2022 and headquartered in Seattle, is transforming land operations for modern defense through autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). The company has developed the OverDrive autonomy stack, enabling ground vehicles to navigate and operate off-road without GPS or direct operator control, and the OverWatch C2 interface for commander coordination. Backed by prominent defense tech investors including 8VC and Point 72, with partnerships across DARPA, the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Command, Overland AI is scaling production to meet growing operational demand.
The Head of Production reports to the Chief Operating Officer and leads all aspects of production and manufacturing operations. This is a strategic leadership role responsible for building and managing a high-performing production team while scaling complex hardware operations in a fast-paced, mission-critical environment.
Key responsibilities include:
**Strategic Production Leadership:** Lead optimization and scaling of full-scale manufacturing to meet growing demand with precision and efficiency. Design and implement production plans, workflows, and systems to meet delivery and quality targets. Partner with engineering and supply chain leaders to optimize build processes and reduce lead times.
**Team Development & Leadership:** Hire, develop, and lead a high-performing production team including technicians, leads, and support staff. Define and embed best practices for training, safety, communication, and accountability. Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
**Quality, Safety & Compliance:** Develop and enforce rigorous quality control systems to ensure every vehicle meets mission-critical standards. Champion a safety-first culture with full compliance to OSHA and applicable safety regulations. Maintain compliance with all relevant DoD, environmental, and operational standards.
**Manufacturing Operations:** Oversee day-to-day production floor activities and facility operations at the Seattle manufacturing location. Drive implementation of lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar principles to eliminate waste and maximize throughput.
**Cross-Functional Execution:** Work closely with hardware and software engineering teams to bring new designs into production efficiently. Partner with supply chain to manage material availability and lead times. Collaborate with program and operations leads to ensure delivery milestones and customer commitments are met.
**Requirements:**
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field. 10+ years of experience in advanced manufacturing, production operations, or robotics. Proven track record scaling complex hardware manufacturing in fast-paced environments. Deep expertise in production planning, quality control systems, and lean/continuous improvement methodologies. Experience managing and developing high-performing teams. Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with engineering, supply chain, and program management. Hands-on leadership style with ability to work in mission-critical environments. Experience with DoD or defense contracting a plus.
