Director of Operations & Engineering

IBC MATERIALS & TECHNOLOGIES, LLC; Lebanon (IN); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Health insurance

Paid time off

401(k) matching

Dental insurance

Job summary

IBC Group is seeking a senior operations leader in Indiana to drive strategic objectives and oversee engineering, production, quality, and business development in thermal spray and component repair. You will ensure technically sound, well-planned projects and robust SOPs, while managing budgets, pricing, and customer relationships across a global base.

The role requires 5–10 years in thermal spray, manufacturing operations, and project leadership, with CAD proficiency (SolidWorks) and strong MS

Qualifications

• Citizenship to work legally in the United States; export-control data access eligibility.
• Bachelor's degree in materials science, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology, or industrial engineering.
• 5–10 years of hands-on or supervisory thermal spray coating experience (HVOF, Plasma, Flame, Arc) and repair operations.
• 5–10 years of operations management experience, preferably in autonomous unit or profit center.
• 5–10 years of direct project management experience.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• Detail-oriented with ability to understand complex systems and develop process parameters.
• CAD experience with SolidWorks or similar; MS Office proficiency.
• Knowledge of ITAR/EAR compliance and controlled data handling.

Responsibilities

• Strategic execution of company goals and objectives.
• Technical and operational leadership across engineering, production, quality, and business development.
• Direct and coordinate projects; plan technical activities and ensure timely delivery.
• Review RFQs, contracts, and customer requests for technical fit and pricing.
• Build and maintain relationships with customers and sponsors.
• Participate in production planning meetings to align technical needs with operations.
• Monitor P&L, backlog, and pipeline for profitability and sustainability.
• Assist budgeting, bids, and procurement planning.
• Provide technical guidance on production, R&D, and process improvements.
• Lead knowledge codification into SOPs and robust manufacturing routes.
• Oversee subsystems including pre-machining inspection, chemical stripping, masking, grit blasting, post-coat finishing.
• Assist in hiring, training, timecard oversight, and performance reviews.
• Prepare executive reports on performance, contracts, risks, and opportunities.
• Ensure ISO9001/AS9100 and OSHA compliance; prepare for audits.
• Support leadership with additional tasks as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Analytical skills

CAD (SolidWorks)

MS Office proficiency

Communication

Metrology knowledge

Thermal spray expertise

Manufacturing operations

ITAR/EAR compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in materials science or metallurgy or mechanical engineering

Tools

SolidWorks or equivalent 3D modeling

Industrial metrology instruments

Job description

About the Company

IBC Group is an industrial solutions provider specializing in advanced metal coatings, component repair, and performance engineering. We partner with manufacturers to extend the life of critical equipment, improve performance, and solve challenges related to wear, corrosion, and durability. Our capabilities include a wide range of thermal spray and performance coating technologies, supported by metallurgical expertise to ensure solutions meet demanding specifications. From restoring worn components to enhancing new parts, our work helps customers reduce downtime and improve reliability across a variety of industries. IBC Group operates focused on leveraging advanced surface engineering solutions globally.

IBC Group is an equal opportunity employer. Full-time employees qualify for additional benefits like medical, vision, and dental insurance, paid time off (i.e. vacation), and retirement savings options.

Benefits

• 401(k)
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Strategic Execution: Communicate and execute company strategic goals and objectives.
• Technical & Operational Leadership: Provide technical and operational leadership across engineering, production, quality, and business development. Act as the primary technical authority for the company's thermal spray applications and component dimensional restoration, ensuring all work is technically sound, properly planned, and executed efficiently in accordance with company standards and customer requirements.
• Project & Group Coordination: Coordinate and direct projects, plan technical activities, and ensure successful execution of work and programs. Engage with other IBC Group technical and support staff as needed.
• Commercial & RFQ Evaluation: Review incoming work including RFQs, contract requirements, and customer requests to ensure proper technical fit, scope, accurate industrial job costing/pricing for variable repair geometries, and scheduling before acceptance. Manage customer portals and interact directly with customers as needed.
• Relationship Management: Interact and build ongoing relationships with company, IBC Group customers, sponsors, and community partners.
• Production Alignment: Participate in production and planning meetings to communicate priorities, schedules, and expectations, ensuring alignment between technical requirements and daily operations.
• Financial Accountability: Monitor financial performance including P&L, job profitability, backlog, and pipeline to ensure the business operates in a highly profitable, sustainable, and commercially independent manner.
• Budgeting & Planning: Assist in preparing budgets, forecasts, bids, contracts, and proposals, and make recommendations regarding staffing, equipment, and operational needs based on business conditions.
• CapEx Ownership: Recommend and support procurement of capital equipment and technical resources, subject to Company approval authority, budget limits, and applicable purchasing policies.
• Technical & Methodological Oversight: Review technical work, reports, and methodologies to ensure accuracy, compliance, and sound engineering practices. Provide technical guidance on production, engineering, and R&D activities as required.
• Knowledge Codification & SOPs: Lead the extraction and transition of historical technical knowledge into codified manufacturing routes, job routers, and robust Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure repeatable shop-floor quality.
• Subsurface & Finishing Operations: Oversee associated mechanical manufacturing and finishing operations critical to component repair, including pre-machining inspection, chemical stripping, masking, grit blasting, and precision post-coat grinding/machining to tight dimensional blueprint tolerances.
• Team Development: Assist in hiring, training, mentoring, timecard oversight, performance reviews, and corrective actions of team members, helping to ensure personnel follow procedures, policies, and performance expectations.
• Executive Reporting: Meet regularly with executive management to review performance, current contracts, risks, and future opportunities.
• Administration & Recordkeeping: Perform administrative duties as required, including approving expenditures, reviewing reports, monitoring project activity, and ensuring proper documentation and recordkeeping.
• Quality & Compliance Audits: Follow and enforce all applicable ISO9001, AS9100, internal quality policies, OSHA safety regulations, and company safety policies. Ensure the facility and production team operate in constant compliance and are prepared for customer-specific or industry-specific technical audits.
• Leadership Support: Complete additional tasks or projects as assigned by company leadership.

Job Requirements

• Citizenship Status: Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship. Due to potential access to export-controlled technical data, candidate must qualify as a “U.S. person” as defined under applicable export control laws, including ITAR/EAR, or otherwise be authorized to access such data under applicable law.
• Education: Must have a bachelor's degree in materials science, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology, or industrial engineering.
• Thermal Spray Expertise: Minimum 5–10 years of hands-on or supervisory experience specifically within thermal spray coating technologies (including HVOF, Plasma Spray, Flame Spray, and Arc Spray) and industrial component salvage/repair operations is highly desirable.
• Operations Experience: Must have 5–10 years of relevant operations management experience, preferably overseeing an autonomous business unit or standalone profit center. Experience with thermal spray and manual machining in a production environment is preferred.
• Project Management: Must have a minimum of 5–10 years of direct project management experience.
• Leadership & Communication: Must have demonstrated leadership experience and excellent communication skills.
• Analytical Capabilities: Must be detail-oriented to understand complex systems, as well as capable of utilizing advanced mathematics for process and coating parameter development.
• CAD Competency: Solidworks or equivalent 3-D modeling software experience is required.
• Software Proficiency: Must have a strong knowledge of the Microsoft Suite of products (Office, Access, Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.).
• Reporting: Must have the proven ability to write professional-level, highly technical reports.
• Advanced Work: Previous experience in industrial R&D and/or government contract work is preferred.
• Machining & Metrology Knowledge: Demonstrated familiarity with precision conventional/CNC machining, industrial metrology instruments, and cylindrical/surface grinding techniques required to finish hard thermal spray surfaces.
• Regulated Data Handling: Familiarity with ITAR/EAR compliance protocols and the secure management of controlled technical data packages.
• Pre-Employment Screening: All employment at IBC is conditional upon successful results from background and drug testing.