Director, Manufacturing Operations

Ascent Solar Technologies; Thornton (CO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascent Solar seeks a Director of Manufacturing Operations to lead and optimize its manufacturing organization, guiding engineers, technicians and shift leads to maximize capacity, improve processes and ensure readiness for new products and customer programs.

The role partners with Engineering, Sales, Supply Chain and Executive Leadership to drive continuous improvement, develop high-performing teams and enable company growth and long-term success.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading manufacturing teams and engineering functions.
• Proven track record in Lean, continuous improvement, and capacity planning.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration with Sales, Supply Chain, and Exec Leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to Manufacturing Engineers, Process Engineers, Manufacturing Technicians and Shift Leads.
• Establish clear goals and performance expectations aligned with company objectives.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, coaching sessions and formal performance reviews.
• Develop succession plans and career development opportunities.
• Onboard, train and retain top engineering and manufacturing talent, maximizing performance, production capacity and business continuity capacity.
• Foster cross-training and workforce flexibility across manufacturing operations.
• Partner closely with People & Culture on workforce planning and organizational development.
• Establish the facility's true production capacity through analysis of equipment, staffing, scheduling and process constraints.
• Develop staffing models that align labor resources with forecasted production demand.
• Optimize manufacturing throughput while maintaining quality, safety and cost objective.
• Identify manufacturing bottlenecks and implement scalable solutions.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing initiatives and continuous improvement programs.
• Develop production KPIs including: Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Yield, Cycle Time, First Pass Yield, Downtime, Scrap, Capacity Utilization.
• Support supplier diversification strategies to reduce operational risk.
• Optimize inventory management to balance production continuity with working capital.
• Drive preventative maintenance strategies.
• Improve manufacturing workflows and MES utilization.
• Ensure EH&S compliance.
• Lead manufacturing planning for customer programs from prototype through production.
• Coordinate Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Chain activities to support customer delivery commitments.
• Develop and manage production timelines and resource plans supporting customer milestones.
• Lead capital equipment acquisition projects and oversee factory expansion initiatives.
• Lead process improvement projects that increase throughput, yield and manufacturing efficiency.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and automation opportunities.
• Support commercialization of next-generation photovoltaic products.

Job description

About the Opportunity

As the Director of Manufacturing Operations, you will lead Ascent Solar's manufacturing organization, overseeing a multidisciplinary team of engineers, technicians, and manufacturing professionals responsible for producing our innovative thin-film photovoltaic technology. This role combines strategic leadership with operational execution, driving team performance, maximizing manufacturing capacity, optimizing processes, and ensuring manufacturing readiness for new products and customer programs. Working cross-functionally with Engineering, Sales, Supply Chain, and Executive Leadership, you will champion continuous improvement, develop high-performing teams, and lead the operational initiatives that enable Ascent Solar's growth, innovation, and long-term success.

What You’ll Do

Team Leadership & Development

• Provide strategic leadership to Manufacturing Engineers, Process Engineers, Manufacturing Technicians and Shift Leads.

• Build a culture centered on accountability, engagement, innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.

• Establish clear goals and performance expectations aligned with company objectives.

• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, coaching sessions and formal performance reviews.

• Develop succession plans and career development opportunities.

• Onboard, train and retain top engineering and manufacturing talent, maximizing performance, production capacity and business continuity capacity.

• Foster cross-training and workforce flexibility across manufacturing operations.

• Partner closely with People & Culture on workforce planning and organizational development.

Manufacturing Capacity & Operational Excellence

• Establish the facility's true production capacity through analysis of equipment, staffing, scheduling and process constraints.

• Develop staffing models that align labor resources with forecasted production demand.

• Optimize manufacturing throughput while maintaining quality, safety and cost objective

• Identify manufacturing bottlenecks and implement scalable solutions.

• Lead Lean Manufacturing initiatives and continuous improvement programs.

• Develop production KPIs including:

  • Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

  • Yield

  • Cycle Time

  • First Pass Yield

  • Downtime

  • Scrap

  • Capacity Utilization

• Support supplier diversification strategies to reduce operational risk.

• Optimize inventory management to balance production continuity with working capital.

• Drive preventative maintenance strategies.

• Improve manufacturing workflows and MES utilization.

• Ensure EH&S compliance.

Strategic Project & Program Management

• Partner with Sales to ensure manufacturing readiness for new commercial opportunities.

• Lead manufacturing planning for customer programs from prototype through production.

• Coordinate Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Chain activities to support customer delivery commitments.

• Develop and manage production timelines and resource plans supporting customer milestones.

• Lead capital equipment acquisition projects and oversee factory expansion initiatives.

• Lead process improvement projects that increase throughput, yield and manufacturing efficiency.

• Evaluate emerging technologies and automation opportunities.

• Support commercialization of next-generation photovoltaic products.

• Other duties as assigned.