Director of Manufacturing Engineering – Aerospace & Defense

MOHR Talent; West Point (MS); On-site; USD 126,000 - 154,000; Full time

Job summary

MOHR Talent is seeking a hands-on Director of Manufacturing Engineering in the Golden Triangle area of Mississippi to lead Manufacturing Engineering, Test, and Configuration Management for an aerospace/defense manufacturing environment.

You will drive program readiness, tooling development, and continuous improvement while collaborating with Program Management, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain to ensure quality, cost, and on-time delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Electrical, Aerospace, or a related engineering field.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in aerospace or defense manufacturing.
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong working knowledge of AS9100, FAI, configuration management, and production engineering.
• Demonstrated success leading NPI, tooling development, and manufacturing process improvements.
• Familiarity with ERP and MES systems in a regulated manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Direct Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering Technicians, Test Engineering, and Configuration Management.
• Translate program requirements into manufacturing plans meeting cost, quality, schedule, and compliance objectives.
• Align engineering resources with production priorities and ramp-ups.
• Establish accountability, metrics, and performance expectations across the engineering org.
• Partner with Program Management on proposals, production planning, and program execution.
• Collaborate on process readiness, capacity planning, and efficient production flow.
• Work with Supply Chain on make/buy decisions, tooling strategies, supplier readiness, and manufacturability.
• Ensure AS9100 compliance, FAI readiness, and audit readiness.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional leadership

NPI process

Tooling development

Manufacturing process

AS9100 knowledge

FAI knowledge

ERP familiarity

MES familiarity

Quality & compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Manufacturing/Electrical/Aerospace

Tools

ERP

MES

Job description

Director of Manufacturing Engineering - Aerospace & Defense

West Point, Mississippi Direct Hire $140000

Job Description

Job Category: Engineering
Location: Golden Triangle area, Mississippi (near West Point and Starkville)
Schedule: Full-time, onsite

We are seeking a hands-on engineering leader to direct Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering Technicians, Test Engineering, and Configuration Management in an aerospace and defense manufacturing environment.

Engineering Leadership & Execution

• Lead and manage day-to-day activities across Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering Technicians, Test Engineering, and Configuration Management.
• Translate program requirements into executable manufacturing plans that meet cost, quality, schedule, and compliance objectives.
• Align engineering resources with production priorities and program ramp-ups.
• Establish clear accountability, metrics, and performance expectations across the engineering organization.

Manufacturing & Program Support

• Serve as the primary engineering partner to Program Management, supporting proposals, production planning, and program execution.
• Partner with Manufacturing leadership on process readiness, capacity planning, and efficient production flow.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain on make/buy decisions, tooling strategies, supplier readiness, and manufacturability.
• Work with the Quality Director to maintain process controls, first article inspection (FAI) readiness, and compliance with AS9100 and customer requirements.

New Product Introduction

• Lead engineering execution for new product introductions, from development through production.
• Establish and lead formal NPI gate and phase reviews to confirm technical, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain readiness.
• Drive manufacturability reviews, risk assessments, and production readiness reviews.
• Ensure tooling, fixtures, test equipment, and work instructions are developed, validated, and released before production authorization.
• Identify and address technical, schedule, and manufacturing risks early in the NPI process.

Tooling, Automation & Process Improvement

• Lead the development and deployment of production tooling, fixtures, and test equipment.
• Drive automation initiatives that improve safety, quality, throughput, and cost.
• Implement error-proofing strategies across manufacturing and test processes.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts using Lean, Six Sigma, and aerospace manufacturing practices.

Configuration Management & Compliance

• Maintain disciplined configuration management, change control, and engineering documentation.
• Oversee engineering changes while minimizing disruption to production.
• Maintain compliance with AS9100, customer specifications, and internal engineering standards.
• Support internal, external, customer, and regulatory audits.

People Development & Organizational Growth

• Mentor and develop engineering leaders and technical staff.
• Support workforce planning, hiring, and succession development within engineering.
• Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Electrical, Aerospace, or a related engineering field.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in aerospace or defense manufacturing.
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong working knowledge of AS9100, FAI, configuration management, and production engineering.
• Demonstrated success leading NPI, tooling development, and manufacturing process improvements.
• Familiarity with ERP and MES systems in a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication, decision-making, and cross-functional leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in engineering or an MBA.
• Experience with automation, robotics, or advanced manufacturing technologies.
• Lean Six Sigma certification or equivalent continuous improvement experience.
• Experience supporting government or defense programs.

Leadership Style

We're looking for an operationally focused, hands-on leader who can set priorities, balance engineering rigor with production needs, work effectively across teams, and maintain a strong commitment to quality, safety, and compliance.

MOHR Talent is an equal-opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local nondiscrimination laws. We provide equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military/veteran status, or any other protected status. If you believe you have been discriminated against or have concerns about our compliance, please contact our Human Resources department at [e-mail]