Operations Manager

American Drillpipe LLC; Chickasha (OK); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Career growth opportunities

Ground-floor role in a family-owned company

Job summary

American Drillpipe LLC in Chickasha, Oklahoma, is looking for a Plant / Production Manager to oversee the launch of their new friction-weld drill pipe line. This role involves collaborating with engineering for equipment installation, ensuring the quality management system is implemented, and managing daily production.

The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of manufacturing operations experience, strong mechanical aptitude, and a background in quality systems like API Q1.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing operations or production supervision experience.
• Hands-on experience installing and maintaining production equipment.
• Familiarity with API Q1, API 5DP, or ISO 9001 quality systems.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily production and operator assignments.
• Support installation and commissioning of production equipment.
• Oversee preventive maintenance practices and equipment readiness.

Skills

Manufacturing operations experience

Mechanical aptitude

Knowledge of welding processes

Leadership skills

Documentation skills

Job description

American Drillpipe, LLC — Plant / Production Manager – Startup & Quality Systems

Location: Chickasha, Oklahoma (on-site)

About ADP American Drillpipe is a domestic friction-weld drill pipe manufacturer building toward API Q1 and API Spec 5DP certification. We run a modern friction-weld line (200-ton welder), post-weld heat treatment, and in-house inspection, serving oil & gas and adjacent markets (geothermal, mining, water well, HDD). This is a ground-floor, build-it-right role: you'll help bring the line online, stand up the quality system that governs it, and run day-to-day production as we scale.

Benefits / Perks

• Competitive compensation
• Career growth as the company scales toward full production
• Ground-floor role in a debt‑free, family‑owned manufacturer

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Plant / Production Manager to help bring our friction‑weld drill pipe line online, and run it once live. You'll work hands‑on with Engineering to install and validate equipment, with the Director of Quality to implement our API Q1 quality management system, and then own daily production as the operation scales. This is a buildout‑phase role demanding mechanical aptitude, strong process discipline, and the drive to get a manufacturing operation and its quality system built right the first time.

Responsibilities

• Assist with installation, setup, and commissioning of production equipment (friction welder, PWHT induction system, machining and handling equipment).
• Support equipment validation and qualification activities, including documenting installation and performance verification for QMS records.
• Help establish preventive maintenance practices and equipment readiness routines.
• Coordinate with Engineering on PLC/controls integration and process parameter setup.
• Troubleshoot equipment issues during startup and early production.
• Manage daily production on the friction‑weld line, including operator station assignments and rotation schedules.
• Coordinate material flow from inbound receiving through welding, PWHT, inspection, and outbound shipping.
• Schedule production runs and staffing to meet delivery commitments.
• Oversee shop‑floor housekeeping, equipment readiness, and safety practices.
• Manage inbound/outbound logistics, including coordination of off‑hours truck loading.
• Track and report production metrics (throughput, scrap/rework, on‑time delivery, downtime).
• Help build and train the production crew as the line ramps to full capacity.
• Assist in developing and rolling out shop‑floor procedures and work instructions aligned to API Q1 and 5DP.
• Help implement document control and records practices on the production floor.
• Support qualification of externally‑provided processes (tool joints, heat treat, upsetting) by gathering and organizing supplier conformance records.
• Drive adoption of QMS procedures by the production crew during buildout.
• Support internal readiness activities ahead of the certification audit.

Authority Note

The Director of Quality retains quality authority, nonconformance disposition, and final product acceptance. Engineering retains ownership of equipment design, process parameters, and qualification authority. This role executes production and supports equipment validation and QMS implementation; it does not hold independent quality or engineering sign‑off.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing operations or production supervision; drill pipe, OCTG/tubular, or heavy‑industrial fabrication strongly preferred.
• Mechanical aptitude and hands‑on experience installing, commissioning, or maintaining production equipment.
• Experience bringing a new line or facility online (greenfield/startup or major expansion) strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of welding, heat treatment, and NDE/inspection processes.
• Hands‑on experience with API Q1, API 5DP, ISO 9001, or a comparable quality system—building or implementing it, not just working under one.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a shop‑floor crew.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills—procedures, records, record‑keeping discipline.
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Willing to work on‑site in Chickasha, OK during a demanding buildout phase.