Director of Operations

Ursa Major; Berthoud (CO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance

401k with Company Match

Equity Grants

Job summary

Ursa Major seeks a strong production leader to scale manufacturing from concept to high-rate production, focusing on safety, quality, and efficiency.

You will build and grow shop floor teams, implement capacity standards, and drive ERP/MES strategies to support rapid, high-volume production of defense systems. A startup mindset with rigorous production discipline is essential.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in scaled production, preferably in aerospace, defense, or related industries.
• Proven track record in leading large-scale, high-volume manufacturing operations, with a focus on safety, quality, and cost-efficiency.
• Experience in manufacturing of energetics or other safety-critical products is highly desirable.
• Strong leadership and team-building skills in a high-growth, fast-paced environment.
• Problem-solving and process optimization skills with a track record of innovative production methods.
• Ability to navigate complex supply chains and develop strong supplier partnerships.
• Experience working with government and defense customers.
• Start-up mentality with the rigor for high-volume, real-world production.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, manufacturing, or related field; advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and build the production team to scale manufacturing from conceptual design through high-rate production, focusing on safety, quality, and efficiency.
• Build high performing engineering teams, including industrial and manufacturing engineering.
• Lead and grow shop floor teams, driving cross training and sustained growth.
• Set standards for capacity modeling, manufacturing scaling, and industrial engineering across Ursa Major.
• Engage ERP and MES deployment strategy in support of scalability.
• Implement and refine our novel manufacturing method to meet varying customer demand profiles.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives ensuring safety and quality standards.
• Collaborate with engineering to integrate production requirements from early design phase to full-scale manufacturing.
• Collaborate facilities and logistics to support development and high-volume production.
• Foster a culture of operational excellence and innovation within production teams.
• Define and track KPIs and daily production metrics to monitor performance, cost, and quality.

Skills

Leadership

Scaled production

Cross-functional teamwork

Process optimization

Supplier management

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

ERP systems

MES deployment

Job description

The future of aerospace and defense starts here. Ursa Major was founded to revolutionize how America and its allies access and apply high-performance propulsion, from hypersonics to solid rocket motors, satellite maneuvering and launch. We design and deliver propulsion and defense systems that solve the most urgent and critical national security demands.

Overview

Ursa is seeking a strong production leader who can lead and build a team to scale production with a focus on safety and best-in-class industrial engineering principles. Ursa has developed a novel manufacturing method that can surge production levels across various products, employing mixed model strategy and early design for manufacturability. This position will heavily influence the standardization and scaling of these production lines. We are seeking a leader who can transform this manufacturing method into high volume (25,000+ units per year in SMS and 500 units we year for HAVOC). Our operations team is involved with early conceptual designs through high-rate production of motors. This leader will demonstrate a track record of collaborating on scaled production and a desire to implement standards and change. The role will lead the manufacturing operations and industrial engineering teams, our build and mixing operations, logistics, and facilities. Demonstrated performance in this role will lead to operational ownership of additional product lines at the company beyond just solids. This is a high growth role. Success will be defined by the safe scaling of our products and how well we can exceed customer expectations on quality and cost. This leader must have a start-up mentality with the rigor of real production.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and build the production team to scale manufacturing from conceptual design through high-rate production, focusing on safety, quality, and efficiency.
• Build high performing engineering teams, including industrial engineering and manufacturing engineering.
• Lead and grow shop floor teams. Drive cross training, efficient operations, and sustained growth.
• Set standards for capacity modeling, manufacturing scaling, and industrial engineering across Ursa Major
• Engage and influence ERP and MES deployment strategy in support of scalability.
• Implement and refine our novel manufacturing method to meet varying customer demand profiles while ensuring responsiveness and flexibility in production.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that ensure industry-leading safety and quality standards.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to integrate production requirements from the early design phase through to full-scale manufacturing.
• Collaborate the facilities and logistics to support both development activities and high-volume production, ensuring seamless operation of manufacturing =
• Foster a culture of operational excellence and innovation within the production teams.
• Define and track key performance metrics and daily production metrics to track production performance, cost control, and quality assurance, ensuring goals are met or exceeded.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in scaled production, preferably in aerospace, defense, or related industries.
• Proven track record in leading large-scale, high-volume manufacturing operations, with a focus on safety, quality, and cost-efficiency.
• Experience in manufacturing of energetics or other safety-critical products is highly desirable.
• Strong leadership and team-building skills, with the ability to motivate cross-functional teams in a high-growth, fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional problem-solving and process optimization skills, with a track record of implementing innovative production methods.
• Ability to navigate complex supply chains and develop strong supplier partnerships.
• Experience working with government and defense customers
• Start-up mentality combined with the rigor and discipline needed for high-volume, real-world production.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, manufacturing, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.

Colorado law requires us to tell you the base compensation range of this role, which is $180,000 - $220,000, determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. What we can’t quantify for you are the exciting challenges, supportive team, and amazing culture we enjoy.

Classification: Full-time Exempt

Benefits Include: (Please note, Interns are not eligible for benefits)

• Unlimited PTO - Vacation, Sick, Personal, and Bereavement
• Paid Parental and Adoptive Leave
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Tax Advantage Accounts (HSA/FSA)
• Employer Paid Short and Long Term Disability, Basic Life, AD&D
• Additional Benefit Options Including Voluntary Life and Emergency Medical Transport
• EAP Program
• Retirement Savings Plan - 401k with Company Match
• Equity Grants in the Company

NOTE: Research suggests that women and BIPOC individuals may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who believes they have the skills and the drive necessary to succeed here to apply for this role.

Must be a U.S. Person (this includes U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents).

Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance.

We’re an equal-opportunity employer. You will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.