Production Manager

ARA Career; Lafayette (LA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical - Traditional or Consumer (HD)

Vision

401(k) - Roth and/or Traditional

Employee Stock Ownership Plan

Personal Leave

Paid Holidays

FMLA

Short- and Long-Term Disability

Life Insurance and AD&D

Job summary

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) in Lafayette, CO is seeking a senior-level Production Manager to lead RF hardware development and production programs, ensuring on-time delivery and strict quality controls.

The PM will manage a multidisciplinary team of engineers, technicians, and staff, aligning manufacturing processes with DoD and Intel project requirements. The role requires a strong background in antennas, radar, and related systems, with 10+ years in program management and a proven

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from accredited school in technical or business-related area.
• Minimum of 10+ years’ experience in program management of hardware development and production.
• Graduate Degree in Engineering and/or Business with 10+ years’ experience in RF hardware program management.

Responsibilities

• Delegating Workforce and Equipment Tasks and Activities
• Reporting to Clients and Managing their Expectations
• Meeting Project Budget and Schedule Requirements
• Procuring Project Materials and Supplies
• Managing Vendor Performance, Budget, and Schedule
• Providing Updates to the Clients and Program Managers
• Continually Improving Project Execution and Processes
• Coordinating Required Project Security and Safety Protocols

Skills

RF hardware

Interpersonal skills

Team leadership

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in technical or business-related field

Tools

Computer equipment

Electrical equipment

Mechanical equipment

Job description

If you are a job seeker with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, you will find the contact information to request the appropriate accommodation by visiting the following our Accessibility Accomodation for Applicants page.

Production Manager

• Posted on November 12, 2026

Locations

Showing 1 location

Lafayette, CO 80026, USA

• On-site
• Programs & Operations
• Full-Time
• Requisition #: PRODU010241

Description

Over the last few years, engineers and technicians at Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) have realized extraordinary success in developing ultra-wideband, modular, antenna systems with unmatched performance capabilities. As a result, customers in both Defense and Intelligence communities are turning to ARA to meet operational needs that were previously unattainable. To keep up with the demand for our products while simultaneously advancing the state of technologies, ARA is looking for a senior-level Production Manager (PM) with a background related to antennas, radar, communication, navigation, and EW systems. This individual will work alongside other leaders within our Advanced Antennas and Radomes Group in Lafayette, CO, providing day-to-day production management, supporting customer interactions, and using their technical expertise to advise on approaches to accelerate or improve our products.

The successful candidate must have a passion for doing work of national importance and a talent for managing RF hardware development and production projects. This individual will manage a multidisciplinary project team of engineers, technicians, and support personnel. He or she will be responsible for overseeing a wide variety of fabrication and testing processes and equipment to integrate consistently high-quality RF components into antenna systems for wide-ranging DoW and Intel applications. These systems are built at our Lafayette, CO facility and involve an assortment of electrical, mechanical, digital, and RF components configured and combined to realize novel high-performance antenna solutions.

The PM will oversee day-to-day execution of project tasks and ensure successful completion within the allotted budget and schedule. RF expertise is required, because the PM must be capable of selecting the appropriate blend of personnel (expertise/talent) and equipment to support project tasks, and to make informed decisions about how to distribute personnel and equipment across multiple simultaneous production activities. The PM will be responsible for working directly with materials suppliers and outside services and will interface with customers as required to ensure that we meet all contractual requirements, while exceeding customer expectations whenever possible. The PM will also support quality and inventory management duties and continuously collaborate with other managers, engineers, technicians, and administrative staff to bolster our development and manufacturing capabilities.

ARA is an employee-owned company, and individuals that thrive at ARA have an entrepreneurial spirit and share our core values of freedom, service, passion, and growth. Those who thrive at ARA do so because they love solving hard problems and doing meaningful work.

Responsibilities of the PM include, but are not limited to:

• Delegating Workforce and Equipment Tasks and Activities
• Reporting to Clients and Managing their Expectations
• Meeting Project Budget and Schedule Requirements
• Procuring Project Materials and Supplies
• Managing Vendor Performance, Budget, and Schedule
• Providing Updates to the Clients and Program Managers
• Continually Improving Project Execution and Processes
• Coordinating Required Project Security and Safety Protocols

The candidate must possess strong interpersonal and teambuilding skills to lead members of the project team and be familiar with conventional manufacturing and measurements processes. The candidate must not only preserve, but enhance client, team, and vendor relationships. This position requires a disciplined and organized individual to plan tasks, manage supplies, schedule personnel and equipment, enforce quality control, and promote a safe, secure, and clean work environment for the team.

What the Program Manager will do at ARA’s Lafayette, CO office:

• Generate and coordinate project plans and schedules of personnel and equipment.
• Utilize site production processes, tools, equipment, and facilities.
• Cultivate an efficient, positive, collaborative, state-of-the-art work environment.
• Bachelor’s Degree from accredited school in technical or business-related area.
• Minimum of 10+ years’ experience in program management of hardware development and production.

Preferences for the Program Manager:

• Knowledge of computer, mechanical, and electrical equipment.
• Graduate Degree in Engineering and/or Business w/10+ years’ experience in program management of RF hardware
• Military Officer with Extensive Leadership Experience.
• Experience building and managing project teams and assets.

Employees working 30+ have FT benefits! Such as:

• Medical - Traditional or Consumer (High-Deductible) PPO
• * Vision
• * 401(k) - Roth and/or Traditional
• * Employee Stock Ownership Plan
• * Personal Leave
• * Paid Holidays
• * FMLA
• * Short- and Long-Term Disability
• * Life Insurance and AD&D

Plus other benefits.

All employees are eligible to participate in the 401(k) and Employee Stock Ownership (ESOP) Plan if they meet requirements.

For best consideration, please apply by January 12, 2027.

Pay Ranges: $100,000 to $140,000 USD per year based on years of experience, degree and any special skills and knowledge that they may bring to the position. ARA offers competitive benefits that address our employees’ needs now and in the future. Learn more about each of our benefits at https://www.ara.com/benefits/

COMPANY INFORMATION:

Applied Research Associates, Inc. is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs over 2,200 employee-owners and continues to grow. ARA maintains offices throughout the United States and Canada and offers a wide range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for environmental site characterization, pavement analysis, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets.

The corporation recognizes that employee ownership promotes greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives its employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is stimulating; innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees’ contributions not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience.

Qualifications

Behaviors

Required

Team Player : Works well as a member of a group

Loyal : Shows firm and constant support to a cause

Leader : Inspires teammates to follow them

Innovative : Consistently introduces new ideas and demonstrates original thinking

Enthusiastic : Shows intense and eager enjoyment and interest

Detail Oriented : Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well

Dedicated : Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Motivations

Required

Self-Starter : Inspired to perform without outside help

Goal Completion : Inspired to perform well by the completion of tasks

Flexibility : Inspired to perform well when granted the ability to set your own schedule and goals

Financial : Inspired to perform well by monetary reimbursement

Entrepreneurial Spirit : Inspired to perform well by an ability to drive new ventures within the business

Ability to Make an Impact : Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization

Education

Required

Bachelors or better in Technical Management or related field.

Experience

Required

10 years: Experienced program manager over hardware fabrication and test projects.

5 years: Technical or Business Degree or Military Service.

10 years: Experience working in hardware production industry.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.