Production Manager, Quantum Compute

IonQ•Bothell, WA

1d•$151,756 - $198,688•Onsite

About The Position

IonQ is looking for an agile, operationally excellent Production Manager to lead our high-mix, low-volume manufacturing floor. In this role, you will bridge the gap between cutting-edge quantum engineering and scalable operations. You will manage a highly skilled team of technicians assembling complex, scientific-grade electromechanical, optomechanical, and ultra-high vacuum (UHV) systems. Our ideal candidate is an operational expert who thrives in dynamic, scaling environments. You will partner with Supply Chain and Program Management to optimize production workflows, and help lay the operational foundation for our next phase of growth by implementing and refining a scalable production model that is best suited for building and deploying quantum computers.

Requirements

5+ years of experience managing production/manufacturing operations in a high-mix, low-volume environment (e.g., aerospace, defense, medical devices, semiconductor, or advanced scientific instrumentation).
Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering Management, or a related technical discipline. An equivalent of an alternate degree coupled with hands-on leadership experience in an advanced technology hardware manufacturing environment (aerospace, semiconductor, medical devices) will also be considered.
Demonstrated track record of effective people leadership, with a focus on talent development, employee upskilling, and performance management.
Proven track record of managing highly dynamic build plans where changing variables require rapid, flexible pivot planning.
Strong experience driving operational maturity by establishing standardized practices from legacy or uncodified processes.
High-level understanding of complex electromechanical and optomechanical assemblies to accurately gauge build complexities and resource constraints.
Strong proficiency using ERP tools like NetSuite, project management software (like Jira), collaborative spreadsheets, and basic data visualization tools like Power BI to track progress and schedules.

Nice To Haves

Experience implementing, migrating, or heavily configuring a formal Manufacturing Execution System (MES) or expanding modern ERP features on a shop floor.
Experience scaling teams of 10-15 to XX – optimizing organizational structures, including implementing shift coverage, expanding leadership tiers, and architecting specialized technical teams to maximize performance.
Experience working directly within cleanrooms (ISO classes) and managing laser safety protocols.
Background in specialized component handling (e.g., fiber optics, ultra-high vacuum/UHV systems).
Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification with a focus on value stream mapping and bottleneck elimination.

Responsibilities

Lead, grow, and resource a team of skilled opto-mechanical and electrical manufacturing technicians; design and maintain advanced training programs to accelerate technical development, career growth, and optical alignment capacity.
Coach and partner with Production Support Engineers to rapidly resolve non-conformances and provide real-time build support during late-stage NPI and production runs.
Own production execution and customer deliveries, continuously optimizing short- and long-term build plans. Dynamically re-factor schedules and re-allocate labor in real-time, effectively absorbing change in the manufacturing environment similar to late stage NPI programs.
Partner with Supply Chain Management (SCM) to align on component lead times, critical-path bottlenecks, and material readiness, helping mitigate supply chain delays and material shortages in production.
Optimize the physical manufacturing floor layout and point-of-use inventory strategies in partnership with the Inventory and Logistics team to maximize throughput and minimize waste.
Design, implement, and maintain advanced training programs for technicians with the goal of improving quality, and partnering with Manufacturing and Test Engineering to develop optical alignment capacity.
Participate in NPI Programs as a Production representative, partnering with leadership to allocate resources for NPI builds as capacity allows.
Collaborate with leadership, owning team resource planning, which includes filling open roles and forecasting future staffing needs.
Develop and improve production processes, including refining 5S and LEAN principles, collaborating with Manufacturing and Quality Engineering to, formalize and sustain established workflows.
Effectively communicate priorities, production progress, risks, and resource needs to senior leadership while facilitating cross-functional alignment.
Maintain and improve current production management systems while helping define the future roadmap for scalable shop-floor tracking and digital tools.
Partner with Quality Management to analyze yield data, identify throughput trends, root-cause failures, and leverage data to implement corrective actions (CAPA).
Serve as a champion for cleanroom protocols (ISO standards), laser safety compliance, and the specialized handling of sensitive components.