Production Operations Lead - Platform 1 (P1)

ZipLine•South San Francisco, CA

50d

About The Position

Are you passionate about scaling production systems that combine cutting-edge robotics, mechanical precision, and operational discipline? Do you excel in environments where you're balancing technical depth with leadership-ensuring production runs flawlessly every day while constantly driving improvement? As the Production Operations Lead for Platform 1 (P1), you will be responsible for end-to-end production execution, team leadership, and continuous improvement across Zipline's flagship aircraft manufacturing operations. P1 is Zipline's most established platform and a cornerstone of our global logistics network. You'll lead the teams that build, assemble, and validate the aircraft that are currently operating in multiple countries around the world. Your mission: ensure that P1 production is safe, predictable, and world-class, while driving improvements that support reliability, cost reduction, and throughput. You'll be a critical link between Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain-balancing execution with strategic improvement to keep our delivery systems flying.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in manufacturing or production operations, with 3+ years in a leadership role.
Demonstrated success managing complex electro-mechanical assembly lines from prototype through full-rate production.
Strong understanding of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and root cause analysis methodologies.
Experience collaborating with engineering, supply chain, and quality teams to resolve technical and operational challenges.
Proven track record of scaling production systems while improving efficiency, quality, and safety.
Strong leadership and communication skills-able to motivate teams, drive alignment, and present clear data-driven insights.
Experience with manufacturing systems (MES, ERP, MRP) for production scheduling and traceability.
Ability to interpret technical documentation, assembly drawings, and test data.
Comfortable managing change in a fast-paced, evolving production environment.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience with Zipline's Platform 1 or comparable automotive, aerospace, or robotics manufacturing systems.
Experience with mixed-model production and rapid line changeovers.
Familiarity with MES transitions or custom MES development.
Background in safety-critical assembly processes (aviation, defense, or medical devices).

Responsibilities

Lead daily production operations for the Platform 1 aircraft, ensuring safety, quality, and delivery targets are met or exceeded.
Manage and develop a team of production leads, and technicians across multiple workstations and shifts.
Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Quality to ensure process adherence, troubleshoot issues, and implement robust corrective actions.
Oversee capacity planning, resource allocation, and scheduling to balance demand, efficiency, and team workload.
Drive operational discipline through standard work, 5S, and Lean manufacturing principles.
Collaborate with design and engineering teams to support new product introductions, line transfers, and process updates for the P1 platform.
Track and report key metrics (yield, labor efficiency, first-pass quality, downtime, on-time delivery) to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
Implement continuous improvement initiatives focused on increasing throughput, improving ergonomics, and reducing production cost.
Maintain a strong safety culture through proactive hazard identification, training, and accountability.
Serve as the P1 production representative in cross-functional meetings and leadership reviews-bringing clarity, data, and insight into operational performance.