Manufacturing Engineering Manager, Armor

Job Summary Lead the Manufacturing Engineering and Maintenance teams that builds life-saving ballistic armor. You’ll own daily operational support, scale new/legacy product lines, drive automation, and run a structured Continuous Improvement Program (CIP) that lifts throughput, yield, safety, and cost.   Responsibilities    Build and lead a team of manufacturing, process, and automation engineers supporting operations Identify, evaluate, and justify capital expenditure (CapEx) projects by developing data-driven business cases Work with the New Product Development group to ensure Tollgate Zero and NPI guidelines are followed, from inception to mass production Develop and validate manufacturing processes, tooling, and equipment for new products to consider DFM best practices Create and manage process documentation including work instructions, PFMEAs, control plans, and SOPs Build and maintain a prioritized CIP portfolio tied to plant KPIs (OEE, FPY, CT, COQ, safety) Execute Lean/Six Sigma projects Identify automation opportunities (robotics/cobots, vision systems, PLC/HMI, AMRs, in-process inspection, data capture) Lead vendor selection, URS/FDS, FAT/SAT, integration, and operator training; ensure safety and CE/OSHA compliance Lead the identification and execution of improvement projects using AI/ML tools for predictive maintenance, quality control, and process optimization Ensure proper Change Control procedures are followed to align with the ISO 9001-2015 and BA 9000:2016 Quality Management System Work within EHS/OSHA, ITAR/EAR, and customer/regulatory requirements All other duties as assigned     Experience 10+ years in manufacturing/process engineering 3–5+ years leading highly functional engineering teams Demonstrated ability to recruit and develop talent Experience with discrete/heavy process experience (ceramics, composites, plastics, or metals) preferred Expertise working in manufacturing environments applying Operating Model tools Lean/Six Sigma toolkit; PFMEA, control plans, MSA, SPC, DOE Automation: PLC/HMI, robotics/cobots, vision systems, sensors, and safety circuits Track record creating CIP pipelines, prioritizing by ROI/risk, and delivering sustained KPI improvements Software proficiency in applications such as MS Project, AutoCAD, VISIO, SolidWorks, etc. Clear communicator, servant leader, decisive under pressure; builds cross-functional trust (Ops, Quality, Design, Supply Chain) Strong experience in Project Management   Education & Eligibility Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Sciences, Industrial Engineering, or related field Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Sciences, Industrial Engineering, or related field preferred U.S. Person status as defined by ITAR/EAR.