Production Manager - Thermal Spray

Kymera International • Houston, TX

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Production Manager directs all manufacturing operations at Kymera CASL Houston (Spring), ensuring production teams deliver high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. The role leads and develops teams across multiple shifts in the Coatings and/or Machining industries, translates customer requirements into repeatable processes, and promotes a culture aligned with Kymera’s core values. The position is accountable for safety, quality, productivity, customer satisfaction, and employee development across production.

The Production Manager leads production planning and execution, monitors performance metrics, and drives data-informed continuous improvement. The role also oversees quality and safety compliance, maintenance programs, workforce training, corrective actions, and staffing for after-hours and urgent work. It supervises shop employees and reports to the Operations Manager.

The work takes place in an industrial machine and thermal spray shop environment. The role requires hands-on production work and may require adjusting hours or travel to meet operational needs. Some domestic and international travel is required, at less than 25%.

Requirements

• Associate degree in Machining or Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• At least 10 years of experience in a machine shop or thermal spray environment.
• At least 5 years in a leadership role in production, operations, or customer service.
• Ability to access government-controlled customer facilities.
• Ability to obtain required DBIDS credentials and other customer- or site-specific credentials.
• Ability to obtain necessary security clearances when required.
• Must qualify as a U.S. Person under applicable ITAR contractual requirements.
• Valid U.S. passport.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Ability to pass required pre-employment screenings, including criminal background checks.
• Strong customer focus and mechanical problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to interpret engineering part and assembly drawings and GD&T.
• Effective time management, organization, and task prioritization skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work in a hands-on production environment and adjust hours or travel based on operational needs.
• Competency in continuous improvement tools such as Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, and 5S.
• Ability to read and interpret variance analysis reports for corrective actions.
• Effective decision-making and team-building abilities.
• Experience with EH&S initiatives and robotic automation processes.
• Enthusiastic, solutions-oriented approach to team and customer challenges.
• Adaptability to a small but growing company and willingness to work across multiple functional areas as needed.
• Ability to stand, walk, climb, reach, push, pull, and lift up to 50 pounds.

Responsibilities

• Lead production teams in achieving quality, safety, throughput, and customer satisfaction goals.
• Develop performance metrics, evaluate team performance, and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Ensure training and development programs for production staff, and lead career development planning for Team Leaders and production employees.
• Establish and evaluate personal performance standards for team members.
• Foster employee engagement and a team culture aligned with Kymera’s core values.
• Oversee production planning and allocate resources to meet short- and long-term demand.
• Monitor production metrics, including turnaround time, throughput, productivity, cycle time, and safety, and implement data-driven improvements.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts, including root cause analysis, process optimization, and adoption of new technologies or methods.
• Review warranty reports, corrective action reports (CARs), and non-conformance reports (NCRs), and lead sustainable solutions.
• Manage staffing for after-hours and urgent work to meet customer needs.
• Ensure adherence to safety policies and regulatory documentation in the event of an accident; oversee return-to-work plans and modified duty offerings.
• Maintain 5S standards and clean, organized work environments.
• Ensure preventative maintenance programs are assigned and followed according to schedule.
• Maintain ISO 9001 and AS9100 compliance, and document and communicate process changes in coordination with the QA team.
• Supervise shop employees.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• 11 annual company-paid holidays and PTO.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).
• Comprehensive dental and vision coverage.
• 401(k) plan with a competitive company match.
• Company-paid short-term disability and life insurance.
• Additional voluntary insurance options, including critical illness, hospital care, and long-term disability coverage.
• Competitive pay.
• Supportive team culture and resources to support employees’ professional and personal well-being.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: Associate degree