Technical Director

Weldaloy Specialty Forgings • Warren, MI

1d

About The Position

The Technical Director is the executive‑level technical leader for the organization, accountable for the technical vision, governance, and execution of all engineering, quality, and metallurgical functions supporting open‑die forging operations for aerospace and defense customers. This role owns the end‑to‑end technical strategy of the business—ensuring methods of manufacture, processing plans, TMP development, quality systems, and metallurgical practices are technically sound, compliant, scalable, and aligned with long‑term business objectives. The Technical Director serves as a core member of the senior leadership team and acts as the company’s ultimate technical authority with customers, auditors, and regulatory bodies.

Requirements

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and at least twelve years of related experience and/or equivalent education & experience; Master’s Degree or PhD preferred
• Demonstrated expertise in open-die forging, thermal mechanical processing, heat treatment, and metallurgical behavior.
• Previous experience working in forging, metals processing, or heavy manufacturing is required.
• Previous experience working in the aerospace or defense industry is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of AS9100, NADCAP, and aerospace requirements is required.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook
• Demonstrated problem solving skills and excellent organizational and communication skills
• Supports and demonstrates the Company’s core values

Nice To Haves

• Master’s Degree or PhD preferred
• Prior experience working with an ERP/MRP system is preferred, PLEX is a plus

Responsibilities

• Serve as the highest technical authority for the company across engineering, quality, and metallurgy.
• Define and execute the company’s technical strategy in alignment with business growth, market demands, and aerospace/defense requirements.
• Serve as a senior leadership team member, contributing to enterprise level decisions related to capital investment, capacity expansion, risk management, and long range planning.
• Establish and enforce technical governance, decision rights, and escalation paths across all technical disciplines.
• Own and approve all processing plans, methods of manufacture, routings, TMP strategies, and technical standards.
• Ensure manufacturing methods are robust, repeatable, and optimized for safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Drive standardization and best practices across forging, heat treatment, machining, and inspection operations.
• Provide executive‑level technical support to the production floor for critical issues, constraints, and complex problem resolution.
• Ensure all technical documentation, work instructions, and procedures meet regulatory, customer, and operational requirements.
• Provide executive leadership of the Quality function, ensuring full compliance with AS9100, NADCAP, customer specifications, and applicable regulatory standards.
• Act as executive sponsor for customer audits, NADCAP audits, and regulatory engagements.
• Ensure effective implementation of FMEA, control plans, capability studies, and risk‑based thinking across the organization.
• Own technical accountability for nonconformances, escapes, and systemic quality risks.
• Establish enterprise standards for metallurgy, material selection, forging parameters, heat treatment, and mechanical property development.
• Oversee TMP development, validation, and continuous improvement for aerospace and defense materials.
• Serve as the final authority for metallurgical deviations, concessions, and material‑related customer decisions.
• Ensure metallurgical capability development supports future materials, specifications, and customer requirements.
• Provide executive‑level technical leadership for new business pursuits, feasibility reviews, and strategic RFQs.
• Evaluate and approve technical risk, manufacturability, and investment requirements for new programs and materials.
• Act as the primary executive technical interface with key customers, including engineering reviews, program escalations, and technical negotiations.
• Support long‑term customer relationships through technical credibility, responsiveness, and performance.
• Lead, mentor, and develop senior technical leaders and their teams to build technical depth, bench strength, and succession readiness.
• Establish competency frameworks, training standards, and technical career paths in collaboration with Human Resources.
• Drive a culture of accountability, technical rigor, continuous improvement, and customer focus across all technical functions.
• Ensure cross‑functional alignment between technical teams, operations, supply chain, and commercial leadership.
• Drive enterprise‑level continuous improvement initiatives targeting yield, capability, cycle time, and cost.
• Establish and monitor technical KPIs and performance metrics aligned with business objectives.
• Ensure technical risks are proactively identified, communicated, and mitigated across programs and operations.
• Promote disciplined project management and structured problem‑solving methodologies across the organization.
• Perform other executive‑level duties as required to support company strategy and operational excellence.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive