Director of Manufacturing Operations, AD&S

Anduril Industries, Inc.; Ashville (OH); On-site; USD 190,000 - 252,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries, Inc. is seeking a Director of Manufacturing Operations for its Air Dominance & Strike division, overseeing production from prototypes to full-rate manufacturing at Arsenal-01 in Columbus, OH. You will lead managers, supervisors, and technicians, balancing innovation with practical execution.

The role requires a strong background in manufacturing operations, LEAN principles, and hands-on team development, with travel 25–50% and relocation support as eligible.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience managing manufacturing and production operations.
• 2nd item
• 3+ years in a supervisor or production ops mgmt role at director level or above.
• 3+ years of experience managing 100+ operator/technician workforce
• Experience working with designers and engineers
• Strong understanding of product life cycle from NPI to scaled production, LEAN, and change management
• Excellent verbal and written communication; highly organized

Responsibilities

• Deliver outcomes for the Air Dominance & Strike Production organization.
• Create a clear vision for Manufacturing Operations.
• Lead and mentor Manufacturing Operations Managers and Production Supervisors.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering, Design Engineering, Planning, Quality, and Supply Chain.
• Deliver quality products on-time and at cost.
• Own attainment for both current and emerging programs.
• Own the culture on the floor and maintain a high operating standard.
• Communicate briefs to senior leadership and customers.
• Show up daily with urgency, ownership, and enthusiasm to get the job done.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Lean manufacturing

Product lifecycle

Change management

Cross-functional collaboration

Security clearance readiness

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s in engineering or technical field

Tools

AS9100 knowledge

OSHA knowledge

Job description

Director of Manufacturing Operations, AD&S

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We’re hiring a Director of Manufacturing Operations to oversee all production within our Air Dominance & Strike division, from rapidly maturing prototypes through full-rate production at scale. In this role, you will be responsible for managing a team of highly talented managers, line supervisors, and technicians who manufacture both our current key autonomous products, Fury, Barracuda, and Roadrunner, and our emerging capabilities. This is a highly dynamic role that requires both technical and frontline people management skills. This role is at the forefront of delivering exceptional customer experiences, fostering team development, and overseeing operations at Arsenal-01 and HQ. As a Director in the Air Dominance & Strike Production organization, you must be a technical leader with the expertise to evaluate, qualify, manage, and advocate for an increasing number of sophisticated parallel pursuits. This role is crucial in ensuring that both manufacturing sites and operations align with the division's strategic direction and receives the appropriate resourcing, in addition to balancing innovation with practical execution to drive the business line's manufacturing operational success. Success in this role demands consistent achievement across hardware production, team management, manufacturing operations, and financial goals. The ideal candidate combines technical acumen with effective communication, strong time-management skills, and a passion for leading transformative change. The ideal candidate should be energetic, highly organized, and deeply committed to scaling innovative products. While individual contributions are valued, teamwork is crucial for achieving the highest level of success while maintaining our Anduril culture above all. Please note: This role will be based at Arsenal-01 in Columbus, OH. A successful candidate will be expected to work out of Columbus, OH. Based on eligibility, relocation assistance may be available. There will likely be 25% - 50% travel required for the role.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• First and foremost, deliver outcomes for the Air Dominance & Strike Production organization
• Create a clear vision for Manufacturing Operations
• You are a key leader in supporting and strengthening the vision of AD&S Production
• Manage the portfolio of projects necessary to achieve your vision for Manufacturing Operations
• Collaborate successfully with leaders across our production organization
• Leaders include Manufacturing Engineering, Design Engineering, Planning, Quality, and Supply Chain
• Deliver quality products, on-time and at cost
• Own attainment for both current and emerging programs
• Own the culture on the floor
• Be a stakeholder in all programs, policies, etc. that affect life on the floor
• Maximize for what’s right both for Anduril’s future and maintaining a strong team culture
• Coach, mentor and support Manufacturing Operations Managers and Production Supervisors
• Create and maintain a high bar for excellence
• Clearly communicate up and out
• Provide consistent and high-quality briefs both up, to Anduril Senior Leadership, and out, to AD&S Customers
• In summary, show up every day with a high level of urgency, ownership, and enthusiasm to get the job done

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• 6+ years experience managing manufacturing and production operations
• 3+ years in a supervisor or production operations management role at the Director level or above
• 3+ years of experience as a manager of managers
• Experience managing operator / technician workforce of 100+ within direct organization
• Experience working directly and communicating with designers and engineers
• A full understanding of the product life cycle (NPI to scaled production), LEAN manufacturing principles, and change management
• Extremely reliable, organized, and detail-oriented with excellent verbal & written communication skills
• You have a passion for employee development and enjoy the process of training and developing both new hires and veteran production staff
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor or Master’s degree in a technical field (engineering, business, or applied science)
• Working knowledge of AS9100 standards and OSHA laws

US Salary Range

$190,000 - $252,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits .

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Anduril Industries’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.