Director, Manufacturing Engineering

Electra Aero • Manassas, VA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Electra is building the EL9 Ultra Short - a nine-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off and lands in 150 feet. By pairing blown-lift aerodynamics with distributed electric propulsion, the EL9 opens thousands of new access points - fields, parking lots, small airstrips - that conventional aviation can't touch. We call it Direct Aviation: getting people from where they are to where they want to go, without the airports, noise, or emissions.
The Role
We're hiring a Director of Manufacturing Engineering to stand up the manufacturing engineering function for the EL9 program from the ground up. This is a build role. You'll define how the EL9 gets built - the production system, the build plan, the tooling and equipment strategy, the NRC and RC budgets, and the manufacturing requirements that flow back into the design as the program moves from critical design review through the first conforming aircraft and into serial production.
You'll partner closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program Management, and you'll be a core member of the team turning the EL9 from a certification program into a production aircraft.

Requirements

• 16+ years of manufacturing engineering experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role on a new aircraft or complex aerospace program
• Direct experience standing up a production system for a new product - not just optimizing an existing line
• Demonstrated ownership of NRC and RC budgets at the program level
• Strong working knowledge of build plan development, MBOM/EBOM translation, tooling and fixture design, and production flow
• Experience leading DFM/DFT activities with a design engineering organization
• Track record hiring and developing manufacturing engineering teams
• Familiarity with FAA Part 23 (or comparable Part 25 / military airworthiness) production and conformity requirements
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering, or equivalent experience

Nice To Haves

• Experience with hybrid-electric, electric, or other novel propulsion aircraft programs
• Lean manufacturing depth (TPS, Shingo, or equivalent)
• Experience with composites and metallic structures fabrication
• CATIA, DELMIA, SAP, or comparable PLM/MES toolchains
• Prior experience taking a clean-sheet aircraft from prototype through first conforming articles

Responsibilities

• Define and own the EL9 manufacturing engineering strategy across fabrication, structural assembly, and final assembly
• Lead design for manufacturing and testability (DFM/DFT), working alongside Engineering to influence the design before drawings are released
• Build and own the EL9 build plan, including sequencing, work instructions, station definition, and production flow
• Develop and manage the non-recurring and recurring cost budgets for manufacturing, and own the make-versus-buy analysis in partnership with Supply Chain
• Define manufacturing requirements and ensure they're captured in the engineering and quality systems
• Specify, source, validate, and commission manufacturing tooling, fixtures, automation, and capital equipment
• Provide hands-on production support through the first conforming aircraft and into rate production, including ramp-up planning
• Hire, develop, and lead a manufacturing engineering team that scales with the program
• Partner with the certification team to ensure the production system meets Part 23 conformity and quality requirements

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance; STD, LTD, and life insurance
• 401(k) with immediate vesting
• Generous PTO, company holidays, and a paid winter break
• Free catered lunches, coffee, and snacks at our Manassas headquarters
• The chance to build the production system for an aircraft that will change how people and goods move

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees