Defense Manufacturing Operations Engineering Lead

Spirit Defense, A Boeing Company; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 105,000 - 161,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Kansas tax credit

Job summary

Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. in Wichita, KS seeks a seasoned Continuous Improvement Leader to manage CI Specialists and drive manufacturing build plans.

You will own process improvements, root cause analysis and cross‑functional execution to meet tight schedules while ensuring safety and quality. The role requires 5+ years in manufacturing, strong data and metrics experience, and familiarity with SAP or similar MRP systems.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing production environment.
• Ability to read and understand blueprints.
• Knowledge of SAP or other large‑scale MRP systems.
• Proven ability to manage projects and lead cross‑functional teams.
• Strong communication, decisiveness and problem‑solving skills.
• Familiarity with business and production metrics and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Manage Continuous Improvement Specialists focusing on manufacturing best practices, quality and safety.
• Develop new manufacturing build plans and conduct root cause analysis as owner of the process.
• Enforce policies and procedures that affect sections and subordinate units.
• Lead cross‑functional collaboration to achieve goals and outcomes.
• Ensure timely closure of multiple tasks in a fast‑paced environment.
• Communicate progress to senior leadership and ensure schedule deadlines.
• Lead a team including CI Specialists and union‑represented employees.
• Apply lean practices and safety standards in the manufacturing process.
• Use production metrics to drive decisions and improve quality.

Skills

Manufacturing experience

Critical thinking

Project leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

SAP

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. in Wichita, KS seeks a seasoned Continuous Improvement Leader to manage CI Specialists and drive manufacturing build plans.

You will own process improvements, root cause analysis and cross‑functional execution to meet tight schedules while ensuring safety and quality. The role requires 5+ years in manufacturing, strong data and metrics experience, and familiarity with SAP or similar MRP systems.