Manager, Applications Engineering

Hadrian Automation•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

Hadrian is building autonomous factories that help aerospace and defense companies manufacture rockets, satellites, jets, and ships up to 10x faster and up to 2x cheaper. By combining advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we are reinventing how America produces its most critical parts. We recently raised $260 million Series C to accelerate this mission. We are excited to be launching a new Factory in Mesa, Arizona, a 270,000 square foot facility that will create 350 new jobs immediately. We are opening a new headquarters to support thousands of future hires, launching Hadrian Maritime to serve naval production, and introducing a Factory-as-a-Service model that delivers complete systems instead of individual parts. Hadrian works with startups, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, and major defense contractors across space, shipbuilding, and aviation to scale production, reduce costs, and accelerate delivery on mission-critical programs. Our fast-growing team is united by a shared mission to reindustrialize American manufacturing for the 21st century and beyond. The Role Hadrian’s Applications Engineering team develops 0→1 machining solutions that supercharge the throughput and capabilities of our factories. The Engineering Manager for Applications is responsible for people, execution, and the operating systems that enable predictable delivery across multiple sites. You do not own technical direction. You partner with a Technical Lead as an equal leadership peer. The Technical Lead owns engineering standards, technical decisions, and deep technical review. You own delivery, cross-functional alignment, and ensure the team has focus, clarity, and leverage to execute high-impact work. You will build a team and an operating model that delivers new machining capabilities, scales subject-matter expertise, and reduces reliance on heroics.

Requirements

5+ years leading high-performance engineering teams in CNC manufacturing, industrial automation, or hardware production.
Ability to run disciplined execution systems in dynamic environments.
Strong understanding of advanced machining processes, tooling, and production process development.
Proven success scaling teams and systems while maintaining high quality and predictable delivery.
Excellent cross-functional communication with shop-floor and software-driven teams.
Track record developing engineers and driving leverage for senior talent.

Nice To Haves

Experience scaling engineering teams across multi-site operations.
Experience with mill-turn, Inconel, and aerospace hard-metal capability development.
Exposure to process monitoring, measurement systems, and factory quality initiatives.
Strong systems design mindset and comfort operating with high ambiguity.

Responsibilities

Lead, recruit, and develop a world-class Applications Engineering team across multiple factories.
Partner peer-to-peer with the Technical Lead: TL owns technical direction; you own execution, prioritization, and team health.
Build and operate a capability launch lifecycle with clear readiness gates and Definition of Done.
Ensure technical standards and programming excellence are fully implemented through the TL’s review and governance.
Establish operating mechanisms, documentation, and knowledge systems that prevent tribal knowledge and unplanned firefighting.
Own roadmap delivery and cross-functional alignment with Operations, CNC Controls, Software, and Sales.
Define support triage and maturity policies that reduce recurring SME burden and free senior IC time for creation.
Improve throughput, First Pass Yield (FPY), and productivity through systematic process improvements.
Implement structured feedback, coaching, and growth systems for engineers at all levels.
Maintain accountability to production outcomes and business priorities.