Director of Manufacturing

World View • Tucson, AZ

1d • Onsite

About The Position

At World View, we strive to be a responsible technology leader in the collection, analysis, and delivery of actionable information gathered by our strategically placed arrays of persistent sensors in the stratosphere. We provide on-demand, scheduled, and historical aerial data and analytics from sensors deployed to the stratosphere with persistent coverage, higher resolution, and increased value over traditional aerial and space imagery sources. The Director of Manufacturing leads end-to-end manufacturing operations for World View’s stratospheric balloon systems, ensuring safe, compliant, repeatable and reliable production from raw materials through flight-ready assemblies. This role owns factory performance across safety, quality, delivery, and cost, and partners closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Flight Operations, and Program teams to industrialize new designs, mature processes, and scale output. The Director of Manufacturing is accountable for production planning and execution, workforce leadership, continuous improvement, and operational readiness in a high-reliability aerospace environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing/operations experience, including 5+ years leading leaders/managers in a production environment.
• Demonstrated success scaling production in a high-reliability environment (aerospace, defense, medical, automotive, or similar), improving safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing systems and controls, including production planning, capacity management, standard work, and configuration control for flight hardware.
• Experience building or operating under a QMS (e.g., ISO 9001/AS9100 concepts), including audits, CAPA, MRB, and disciplined document control.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and retain high-performing manufacturing teams; effective coaching, labor planning, training systems, and organizational design.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to align cross-functional stakeholders (Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Flight Ops, Programs) and present operational tradeoffs and risks to executives.
• Working knowledge of EHS and regulatory compliance in a manufacturing facility; experience implementing safety programs, training, and incident investigation practices.
• Strong continuous improvement toolkit (Lean, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints); ability to translate data into prioritised actions that improve throughput, yield, and cost.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree a plus
• Experience with softgoods/films/laminates manufacturing (cutting, layup, welding/heat sealing, bonding), large-scale assembly, and test/verification methods relevant to lighter-than-air or aerospace systems.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day manufacturing execution for stratospheric balloon systems (envelopes, films/laminates, load-bearing structures, payload integration, ground support equipment), delivering to schedule with a strong safety-first mindset.
• Lead and develop manufacturing leaders to build a culture of accountability, standard work, and continuous improvement.
• Establish and manage production planning, capacity models, and master schedules; balance labor, equipment, and material constraints to meet program commitments.
• Implement and maintain a robust Quality Management System (QMS) and inspection strategy (incoming, in-process, final), including nonconformance management, MRB, corrective/preventive actions (CAPA), and audit readiness.
• Drive process discipline and repeatability through work instructions, travelers, tooling/fixture control, calibration programs, and configuration management for flight hardware.
• Partner with Engineering to industrialize new designs (DFM/DFA), qualify processes and materials (film handling, seam and bond processes, leak testing), and manage smooth ECO/ECN implementation without disrupting production.
• Own Risk reduction across the facility, including hazard assessments, training, incident investigations, and preventative actions for materials, equipment, and high-bay operations.
• Develop and manage budgets for labor, equipment, tooling, facilities, and overhead; execute headcount plans, hiring, onboarding, training, and performance management for the manufacturing organization.
• Build and maintain strong interfaces with Supply Chain and key suppliers; set requirements for critical materials (films, adhesives, valves, electronics), manage supplier quality, and mitigate risk for long-lead items.
• Establish operating cadences and KPIs (SQDC, OEE, yield, scrap, on-time delivery); provide clear executive reporting on performance, risks, and improvement plans.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• Modern office designed to keep you inspired and energized, with a fully stocked kitchen, on-site exercise area, and stunning views

What This Job Offers

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