Head of Production

PowerPhotonic Ltd; Sahuarita (AZ); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

PowerPhotonic Ltd in Sahuarita, Arizona seeks a Head of Production to lead Production, Cleanroom Operations, Maintenance, and Facilities, ensuring disciplined manufacturing and strong governance between Engineering and Production.

You will shape a self-sufficient, high-performing operation capable of scaling and delivering on customer commitments, with a proven track record in cleanroom and precision manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience within a cleanroom manufacturing environment.
• Experience in optics/photonics, semiconductors, or high-technology industries.
• Strong knowledge of quality management systems and process documentation.

Responsibilities

• Own manufacturing process controls development, implementation, and improvement.
• Lead all day-to-day production and cleanroom activities with discipline.
• Oversee production scheduling, throughput, quality, and productivity.
• Drive Lean, continuous improvement, and cost-reduction initiatives.
• Ensure facilities, maintenance, and equipment support scalable production.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Quality on process validation and readiness.

Skills

Leadership

Cleanroom

Photonic/Optics

Operational Excellence

Governance

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Job description

PowerPhotonic has an exciting opportunity for a Head of Production based in Sahuarita, Arizona. This akey leadership role provides leadership across Production, Cleanroom Operations, Maintenance, and Facilities, ensuring disciplined manufacturing execution and effective governance between Engineering and Production. The role will play a critical part in developing a self-sufficient, high-performing manufacturing operation capable of supporting future growth and increasing production scale.

A key requirement is previous leadership experience within a cleanroom and precision manufacturing environment, ideally within Optics, Photonics, Semiconductor, Aerospace, Defence, or similar high-technology industries, with a clear understanding of operational best practice and what good looks like.

PowerPhotonic is a global leader in the design and manufacture of precision optics and optical assemblies for high-power laser systems. Our technology supports critical applications in defence, biomedical and fusion energy, helping customers achieve performance levels that are not possible with conventional optical solutions.

Our world-class design capability is supported by a highly innovative and flexible manufacturing process developed in-house. This unique combination enables us to deliver differentiated, high-performance optical solutions to customers operating at the cutting edge of technology.

What is Involved

1. Process Control and Operational Discipline

• Own the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of manufacturing process controls.
• Ensure all manufacturing processes are fully documented, controlled, and maintained through approved procedures and work instructions.
• Establish robust document control systems for production, cleanroom, maintenance, and facilities operations.
• Ensure process changes are formally reviewed, validated, approved, and communicated through established change-control procedures.
• Drive process capability, repeatability, and standardization across all manufacturing activities.
• Ensure complete production traceability through accurate manufacturing records and data collection systems.
• Lead periodic process audits to verify adherence to documented procedures and identify improvement opportunities.
• Partner with Engineering and Quality to develop process validation plans and ensure manufacturing readiness prior to production release.
• Use operational data and KPIs to monitor process performance, identify variation, and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with applicable quality management systems, customer requirements, and regulatory standards.

2. Production & Cleanroom Operations

• Lead all day-to-day production and cleanroom activities.
• Maintain high standards of manufacturing discipline, process adherence, and contamination control.
• Ensure compliance with cleanroom procedures and environmental standards.
• Oversee production scheduling, operator performance, quality, throughput, and productivity.
• Drive a culture of accountability and operational excellence.

3. Delivery & Customer Performance

• Own operational delivery performance and revenue commitments.
• Ensure products are delivered on time, in full, and to quality.
• Lead recovery plans where delivery performance is at risk.
• Act as the operational escalation point for manufacturing challenges.

4. Equipment & Maintenance

• Accountable for performance and maintenance of all manufacturing equipment.
• Implement robust preventative and corrective maintenance plans.
• Improve rig stability, equipment reliability, and overall uptime.
• Reduce downtime and eliminate recurring failures.

5. Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Lead Lean, continuous improvement, and cost reduction initiatives.
• Improve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People performance.
• Increase productivity, yield, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Establish a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.

6. Facilities Management

• Responsible for cleanroom infrastructure, manufacturing environments, utilities, and facilities.
• Ensure facilities support safe, efficient, and scalable production.
• Lead facility and capital equipment improvement projects.

7. Health, Safety & Compliance

• Accountable for Health & Safety performance across the site.
• Promote a strong safety culture and compliance with all applicable regulations.
• Lead investigations and corrective actions where required.

8. UK-US Operational Excellence

• Deploy UK manufacturing standards and best practices within the US operation.
• Work closely with the UK Head of Production to align methods, governance, and performance management.
• Lead daily SQDCP meetings and KPI-driven reviews.
• Act as the key operational link between UK and US manufacturing teams.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience

• Proven leadership experience within a cleanroom manufacturing environment.
• Experience in Optics, Photonics, Semiconductors, Precision Engineering, Aerospace, Defence, or similar high-technology industries.
• Strong understanding of cleanroom standards, contamination control, and precision manufacturing disciplines.
• Experience leading Production, Maintenance, Facilities, and operational support teams.
• Strong experience of NPI, stage-gate processes, and Engineering-to-Production transfer.
• Proven track record of improving Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People performance.
• Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, and visual management systems.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to challenge behaviours, enforce standards, and build high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated experience implementing process control systems in a cleanroom or precision manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience creating, deploying, and managing manufacturing documentation, SOPs, work instructions, and process specifications.
• Experience with document control, change management, validation, and audit requirements.
• Working knowledge of quality management systems and controlled manufacturing environments.
• Experience using statistical and data-driven approaches to monitor and improve process performance.
• Proven experience leading complex manufacturing, facilities, or capital equipment projects.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, budgeting, risk management, and stakeholder communication.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams in a production environment.
• Demonstrated success delivering manufacturing improvement, automation, facility, or capacity expansion projects.
• Direct experience within optics or photonics manufacturing.
• Experience with defence or government contract environments.
• Familiarity with EVM (Earned Value Management) project management approach.
• Experience transferring manufacturing processes between sites.
• UK-US operational experience.
• Knowledge of ISO 9002, ISO 13485 or AS9100 quality standards

Working With Us

This role is based on-site in Sahuarita, Arizona and requires presence across manufacturing, cleanroom and operational areas. The successful candidate must be able to perform the essential duties of the role, with or without reasonable accommodation.

All applicants must already hold the legal right to work in the US. Some domestic and international travel may be required to support collaboration with UK operations, training, customer engagements and business activities.

Join Us

This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of PowerPhotonic's US manufacturing operation. If you are motivated by building high-performing teams, driving operational excellence and delivering results within a technically advanced manufacturing environment, we would like to hear from you.