Production Supervisor I/II

Zone 5 Technologies • San Luis Obispo, CA

13h • $75,000 - $120,000 • Onsite

About The Position

At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in unmanned aircraft systems. Our team of engineers and innovators is developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions that push the boundaries of UAS technology - solving complex challenges that matter.
We're building the future of UAS capabilities, and we're looking for exceptional talent to join us. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on next-generation flight systems, you belong here.

Production Supervisor I
Role Summary
The Production Supervisor I is responsible for daily execution and frontline people leadership within an assigned manufacturing area. This role ensures work is performed safely, to standard, on schedule, and with high quality, while developing team capability and maintaining operational discipline.
Production Supervisors are expected to spend the majority of their time leading and coordinating work, with limited hands-on production involvement (approximately up to 50%) as needed to:
Support training and skill development
Address short-term execution gaps
Assist during abnormal or recovery situations
Hands-on work is intentional and situational, not the default mode of operation.
This role involves working closely with manufacturing managers, various engineering disciplines, production staff, and operations teams to support expected outcomes.

Production Supervisor II, Specialty Manufacturing
Role Summary
The Production Supervisor II is responsible for daily execution, frontline leadership, and technical oversight within a specialized manufacturing environment such as Avionics, Machining, Advanced Composites, or other high-complexity production areas.
In addition to standard floor leadership, this role is expected to bring domain-specific manufacturing expertise and serve as the primary execution authority for complex processes, quality standards, and technical problem-solving within their area.
Production Supervisors II operate with greater autonomy, manage higher-risk operations, and are accountable for both people performance and technical execution quality.
Hands-on involvement is typically lower than Supervisor I (generally <30%) and focused on:
Technical coaching
Complex troubleshooting
Process validation
Abnormal recovery situations
This role bridges the gap between frontline execution and manufacturing engineering.
This role involves working closely with manufacturing managers, various engineering disciplines, production staff, and operations teams to support expected outcomes.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent (Bachelor’s degree preferred for I, Bachelor’s strongly preferred for II)
• 3+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing (for I)
• 6+ years in aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing (for II)
• Prior experience as a team lead, lead technician, or informal frontline leader (for I)
• 2+ years in formal supervisory or technical lead role (for II)
• Strong understanding of manufacturing execution, quality and workmanship standards, and safety practices in regulated environments
• Ability to balance hands-on support with people leadership responsibilities
• Strong communication, organization, and conflict-resolution skills
• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP or production tracking systems
• U.S. Citizenship required; ability to obtain and maintain a government security clearance if required
• Demonstrated expertise in at least one specialty domain: Avionics integration / harness / test, CNC machining / fabrication, Composites / advanced assembly (for II)
• Strong ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, schematics, process specifications (for II)
• Proven track record managing skilled technical teams (for II)
• Comfortable owning high-risk production areas (for II)
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making under pressure (for II)

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting end-item UAV assembly or complex electromechanical builds
• Exposure to Lean Manufacturing and structured problem-solving
• Prior responsibility for shift leadership or area ownership
• Prior ownership of: Avionics production cell, Machining department, Test or integration area (for II)
• Experience supporting: First article inspections, MRB processes, NPI or rapid scale programs (for II)
• Lean / Six Sigma / structured CI training (for II)
• Mentorship or leadership development experience (for II)

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day execution for the assigned area, shift, or line
• Translate production plans and priorities into clear daily direction
• Coordinate labor, sequence work, and manage shift execution
• Monitor progress throughout the shift and take corrective action as needed
• Escalate risks early and with facts when targets are at risk
• Provide hands-on support during training and onboarding, short-term staffing gaps, complex or critical build steps, and recovery from quality or schedule disruptions
• Model correct workmanship, safety, and standard work
• Directly manage floor team members, including attendance, performance, and conduct
• Set clear expectations and provide regular coaching and feedback
• Support training and skill development in coordination with Manufacturing Manager
• Foster a culture of accountability, respect, and teamwork
• Address performance issues promptly and professionally
• Own safety execution within the assigned area
• Enforce compliance with AS9100, ITAR, and internal procedures
• Serve as first-line quality gate for workmanship and process adherence
• Ensure proper containment and escalation of quality issues
• Participate in audits and corrective action activities as required
• Communicate priorities, risks, and status clearly to Manufacturing Managers
• Participate in daily production meetings and execution reviews
• Execute Value Stream priorities through established channels
• Coordinate with Quality, Supply Chain, and Engineering as required
• Reinforce standard work, 5S, and visual management
• Identify improvement opportunities and support Kaizen or problem-solving activities
• Balance short-term execution needs with long-term process discipline
• Serve as subject-matter leader for area-specific processes (Supervisor II)
• Validate critical build steps and sign off on high-risk operations (Supervisor II)
• Interpret engineering documentation (drawings, schematics, routings, work instructions) and translate into executable floor guidance (Supervisor II)
• Lead technical troubleshooting for avionics integration issues, machining process deviations, tooling or fixture problems, test failures or nonconformances (Supervisor II)
• Partner closely with Manufacturing Engineering to refine processes, improve yields, and support NPI or design changes (Supervisor II)
• Develop senior technicians into leads or future supervisors (Supervisor II)
• Set technical competency expectations by role level (Supervisor II)
• Own cross-training strategy for critical skills (Supervisor II)
• Manage performance in environments where mistakes have high cost or risk (Supervisor II)
• Own quality execution for specialized operations (Supervisor II)
• Ensure strict adherence to AS9100, IPC / J-STD (for avionics), GD&T / inspection standards (for machining) (Supervisor II)
• Act as first escalation for NCRs, MRB inputs, root cause investigations (Supervisor II)
• Validate corrective actions and ensure sustained process compliance (Supervisor II)
• Participate in audits as area technical representative (Supervisor II)
• Act as the execution interface between Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Program / Value Stream leadership (Supervisor II)
• Provide data-driven status, risks, and recovery plans (Supervisor II)
• Lead technical standups and execution reviews (Supervisor II)
• Lead Kaizen efforts tied to process capability, scrap reduction, throughput improvement (Supervisor II)
• Implement visual controls and process metrics (Supervisor II)
• Support automation, tooling upgrades, and workflow redesign (Supervisor II)

Benefits

• Competitive total compensation package
• Comprehensive benefit package options include medical, dental, vision, life, and more.
• 401k with company-match
• 4 weeks of paid time off each year
• 12 annual company holidays

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED