Production Program Manager – Military Laser Systems

Arete Associates•Niwot, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Areté is seeking an experienced Program Manager to own the full-rate production of advanced military laser systems. This role involves leading the program through capacity scaling, yield improvement, cost reduction, and touch-labor optimization after receiving the product from the NPI/development program manager. The ideal candidate will be a data-driven, operations-minded leader with strong manufacturing acumen and the ability to influence cross-functional teams in a high-reliability, regulated production environment. The position is based in Niwot, CO and is classified as an exempt, non-supervisory, full-time role.

Requirements

5–10+ years of project/program management in production environments, ideally in laser systems, electro-optics, defense hardware, or high-reliability manufacturing.
Demonstrated success running full-rate production and driving capacity scaling, cost reduction, and yield improvement.
Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, tooling, fixtures, test flows, and design-for-manufacture principles.
Ability to read mechanical drawings (GD&T), electrical/optical schematics, and comprehensive BOM structures.
Expertise in production KPIs: takt time, throughput, OEE, FPY, Cpk, labor utilization, and cost breakdowns.
Experienced in Lean/continuous improvement methodologies.
Skilled in building and managing schedules, budgets, and forecasts using MS Project/Primavera and ERP/MRP systems.
Excellent communication skills and comfort working with suppliers, internal leadership, and defense customers.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or equivalent technical discipline.
U.S. citizenship is required to meet position eligibility.
Successful passage of a criminal background screen is required to meet position eligibility.
Selected applicants will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
Successful passage of a Department of Transportation (DOT) drug test is required to meet position eligibility.

Nice To Haves

Experience with high-volume optical alignment, precision mechanical assembly, or laser module production.
Familiarity with automation, robotic handling, or semi-automated optical alignment/test systems.
Experience with EVMS, cost reporting, and DCMA interactions.
Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt).
MBA or Master’s degree in Engineering.

Responsibilities

Own the laser production efforts from pilot builds through stable, repeatable, full-rate production.
Ensure production meets throughput, yield, quality, and delivery commitments for defense customers.
Monitor and manage daily/weekly/quarterly production performance against baseline and forecast.
Work with product forecasts from the business development team and ensure supply chain and production capacity is consistent with demand.
Assess current bottlenecks and implement strategies to increase build capacity (lines, equipment, staffing, takt improvements).
Partner with Manufacturing Engineering to develop scalable assembly processes, automation opportunities, and optimized workflows.
Lead capacity expansion plans, including capital equipment justification, ROI analysis, and phased deployment.
Drive direct labor hour (DLH) reduction through process optimization, tooling, error-proofing, automation, and layout improvements.
Lead cost reviews, BOM cleanup, and cost-down initiatives with Supply Chain and Engineering.
Manage lean manufacturing initiatives, applying 5S, value-stream mapping, Kaizen, and waste elimination.
Establish and maintain statistical process controls (SPC) for critical processes.
Drive root-cause investigations for yield issues and production escapes; ensure robust corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
Partner with Quality Engineering to achieve sustained improvements in FPY, DPPM, and defect reduction.
Own program schedules, budgets, forecasts, and performance metrics during production phase.
Use earned value, labor metrics, and throughput data to create accurate cost and schedule projections.
Prepare and lead internal/customer reviews: monthly PMRs, quarterly business reviews, and contract deliverable tracking.
Act as the hub between Operations, Supply Chain, Test Engineering, Quality, Finance, and Contracts.
Ensure supply chain readiness: supplier OTD, risk mitigation, buffer strategies, and cost-down roadmaps.
Maintain rigorous configuration control and alignment to AS9100/ISO 9001 and applicable MIL-STDs.