Engineering Manager – Manufacturing

Protora•Norfolk, VA

About The Position

Protora is hiring an Engineering Manager – Manufacturing to lead engineering activities that support the transition of complex technical products from design through production. The role works closely with Engineering, Production Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program teams to ensure products can be manufactured safely, efficiently, consistently, and in accordance with technical and customer requirements. An immediate priority is supporting setup and operational readiness of Protora’s new manufacturing facility, including the processes, equipment, and capabilities needed for production. The ideal candidate has strong engineering fundamentals and practical manufacturing experience with complex electronic, mechanical, radar, and integrated systems. The position includes an initial travel requirement of 20–40%, expected to decrease as the new facility becomes operational.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
7+ years of progressive engineering and manufacturing experience, including technical leadership or team oversight.
Experience supporting complex electromechanical products in aerospace, defense, or a similarly regulated environment.
Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, engineering drawings, bills of materials (BOMs), work instructions, and configuration-controlled documentation.
Experience with design-for-manufacturing and production-readiness activities.
Demonstrated problem-solving and root-cause analysis skills, with experience driving corrective actions and process improvements.
Strong communication and cross-functional leadership skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in aerospace, defense, radar, electronics, and/or complex electromechanical manufacturing environments.
Background supporting low-volume, high-complexity production and new product introduction.
Familiarity with configuration-controlled and quality-driven manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities

Lead manufacturing engineering activities supporting new and existing products.
Partner with design engineering teams to transition products from development into repeatable production.
Review product designs for manufacturability, assembly, testability, and production readiness.
Develop and improve manufacturing processes, work instructions, tooling, fixtures, standards, and best practices.
Identify and resolve manufacturing and technical issues through root-cause analysis and corrective action, focusing on quality, cost, schedule, and delivery.
Support prototype builds, first-article activities, production ramp-up, and ongoing manufacturing.
Collaborate with Quality and Engineering to ensure manufacturing processes meet applicable technical, contractual, and regulatory requirements.
Provide technical leadership, coaching, and support to manufacturing and engineering personnel.
Lead manufacturing engineering efforts for setup of Protora’s new facility, including equipment, tooling, production processes, and manufacturing readiness.