Director of Operations — High-Hazard Manufacturing Leader

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD); Graham (KY); On-site; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive relocation support

Sign-on incentives

Tailored rewards based on experience

Job summary

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) in Graham, KY seeks a Director of Operations to lead a high-consequence energetics site, ensuring safety, quality, and cost performance. You will own the operations, scale capacity, and drive Lean EBOS execution in a regulated environment.

The role requires 15+ years in high-hazard manufacturing, energetics experience, and the ability to obtain a DoD security clearance, with a focus on building leadership and a culture of safety and

Qualifications

• 15+ years of operations leadership in high-hazard manufacturing environments.
• Direct experience in energetics or explosives manufacturing.
• Background in aerospace & defense or similarly regulated industries.
• Experience supporting DoD programs and contracts.
• Ability to obtain DoD Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead full-site leadership in a high-mix, low-volume, high-consequence manufacturing environment.
• Own site performance across safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Ensure strict adherence to explosive safety, process controls, and regulatory standards.
• Operate within a PSM-regulated environment with full compliance to federal, DoD, and explosive safety requirements.
• Build and develop teams with a safety-first, accountability-driven culture.
• Drive performance through EBAD’s operating system (EBOS) and lean execution discipline.
• Lead production ramp, capacity expansion, and operational readiness aligned to customer demand.

Skills

Operations leadership

Energetics experience

Aerospace & defense

DoD program experience

DoD clearance eligibility

Job description

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) in Graham, KY seeks a Director of Operations to lead a high-consequence energetics site, ensuring safety, quality, and cost performance. You will own the operations, scale capacity, and drive Lean EBOS execution in a regulated environment.

The role requires 15+ years in high-hazard manufacturing, energetics experience, and the ability to obtain a DoD security clearance, with a focus on building leadership and a culture of safety and