Manager, Industrial Engineering & Lean Transformation

AeroVironment•Simi Valley, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager of Industrial Engineering & Lean Transformation is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing manufacturing systems and workflows, while leading Lean transformation initiatives. They drive value stream efficiency, capacity planning, and strategic use of resources, ensuring alignment with business goals related to output, cost, quality, and lead time.

Requirements

Minimum of 8 years of related experience in high-mix, low-volume, or complex production environments.
Minimum of 3 years of successfully leading manufacturing teams within a product development environment.
Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field and/or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
Proficiency in process simulation tools, time studies, and data analytics.
Strong leadership, project management, and facilitation skills.
Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a high-mix, low-volume production environment.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed (up to 50%).
Strong organizational and time management skills
Proven adaptability in fast-paced, evolving environments
Strategic thinker who anticipates change and fosters team alignment
Collaborative, team-oriented mindset with a focus on shared success
Ownership-driven, continuously learning, and improvement-focused
U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) or asylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) required.
This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction.
A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15.
Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Nice To Haves

Lean Six Sigma certification (Green/Black Belt) strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain time standards, labor models, and production layouts.
Lead capacity planning, line balancing, and throughput optimization.
Design and improve facility layouts, workstation ergonomics, and material flow.
Conduct value stream mapping to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies.
Lead Lean transformation initiatives using tools like 5S, Kaizen, Kanban, SMED, Standard Work, and Visual Management.
Deploy Lean Six Sigma methodologies to reduce variation, waste, and non-value-added activities.
Facilitate cross-functional Kaizen events and improvement workshops across departments.
Analyze production data to identify trends, root causes, and improvement opportunities.
Establish and track KPIs for productivity, efficiency, takt time, and OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness).
Develop cost-benefit analyses for capital projects and process changes.
Support factory modernization and digital manufacturing initiatives (e.g., MES, automation, real-time analytics).
Partner with Product Development and NPI teams to drive Design for Manufacturability (DfM) and scalability into new product designs.
Train and mentor supervisors, engineers, and frontline teams in Lean principles.
Act as a change agent, promoting a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Build Lean maturity roadmaps and assess organizational readiness for transformation.
Partner with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Program Management to align Lean initiatives with business objectives.
Interface with executive leadership to report Lean transformation progress, ROI, and impact.
Represent the Supplier Quality organization in high-level cross-functional meetings and executive updates.
Ensure compliance with applicable standards including AS9100, ISO 9001, ITAR, and customer-specific quality requirements.
Foster a continuous improvement culture within the supplier base and internal SQE team.
Other duties as assigned