Production Manager, Blades and Vanes Foundry

InvestedintheMission; Bastrop (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is building a world-class blades and vanes foundry in Texas. As Production Manager, you will lead and scale a high-performance team through core manufacturing, casting, machining, coating, and final inspection on a single line under one roof.

You will hire and develop supervisors and technicians, drive safety, implement lean improvements, and partner with engineering, supply chain, and leadership to meet aggressive activation schedules and quality targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or STEM OR 5+ years of professional leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
• 5+ years of production operations or process development experience.
• 3+ years of experience in a leadership position.

Responsibilities

• Hire, lead, and mentor a team of supervisors, technicians and machinists to perform blades and vanes foundry operations.
• Support factory activation, line expansions, and facility upgrades; contribute to strategic decisions for foundry design.
• Ensure safety and maintain an excellent safety record.
• Create training and career development paths to ensure on-time delivery, quality, and reduced lead time/cost.
• Define operational standards with accountability.
• Drive continuous improvement in manufacturing processes, quality, and rate.
• Collaborate with development, test, quality, and leadership to align long-term goals.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards (ISO, AS9100, NADCAP) and SpaceX safety protocols.

Skills

Leadership

Manufacturing

Safety

Process Improvement

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

Foundry equipment

NDT equipment

Job description

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

PRODUCTION MANAGER, BLADES AND VANES FOUNDRY

As a Production Manager, you will lead and scale high-performance teams responsible for standing up and operating an industrial gas turbine (IGT) blades and vanes foundry — from core manufacturing and casting operations, through machining, coating, and final inspection, in a single linear production line under one roof. You will hire and develop the team that will run the foundry and contribute to strategic decisions on facility design, process flow, equipment, and activation. This role requires close collaboration with engineering, supply chain, operations, and leadership to solve problems quickly in a demanding, fast-paced manufacturing environment. The ideal candidate is motivated by building a world-class, vertically integrated foundry from the ground up.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Hire, lead, and mentor a team of supervisors, specialists, technicians and machinists to perform blades and vanes foundry operations (core manufacturing, wax pattern, investment casting, leaching, heat treat, machining, coating, final tests and inspections, etc.)
• Support factory activation, new product introductions, line expansions, and facility upgrades; contribute to strategic decision-making for foundry design and bringing the facility online
• Ensure a strong focus is placed on safety and maintain an excellent safety record
• Create and enforce training and career development paths to ensure timely product delivery, boost in quality, and reduction in lead time/cost
• Define and enforce operational standards with strict accountability
• Drive continuous improvement in manufacturing processes, procedures, quality, and rate
• Collaborate with development, test, quality, and leadership to align long-term goals & resolve complex issues
• Challenge requirements and legacy assumptions to establish a streamlined manufacturing environment
• Ensure compliance with industry standards (e.g. ISO, AS9100, NADCAP) and SpaceX safety protocols, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement, operational excellence & high-performance
• Mentor and develop team members, conduct performance reviews, to maintain a world-class manufacturing organization
• Own sustained CapEx, headcount, and capacity planning for foundry operations

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or STEM discipline; OR 5+ years of professional leadership experience in a manufacturing environment
• 5+ years of production operations or process development experience
• 3+ years of experience in a leadership position

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Experience in investment casting / IGT blades and vanes (or similar high-temperature superalloy foundry operations)
• Experience leading New Product Introduction to volume production
• Experience with the equipment and ancillary support systems used across a full foundry value stream (core, wax, casting, leaching, heat treat, machining, coating, NDT/inspection)
• Experience with equipment qualification, validation, and troubleshooting in a production foundry or controlled manufacturing environment
• Advanced degree in engineering or technical discipline
• Experience building out a multidisciplinary production organization
• Experience leading multi-level production operations teams with 50+ members
• Excellent communication skills, with experience presenting technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
• Experience in implementing/sustaining quality management systems (e.g. ISO9001, AS9100)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be willing to work long hours and weekends as needed
• Standing for long periods of time, climbing up and down ladders, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, and stretching may be required to perform the functions of this position
• Willingness to travel to other SpaceX sites and/or domestic and international vendors (~10% normally; more during initial activation and commissioning, including supporting temporary training & development assignments)
• Must be able to lift up to 25lbs. unassisted

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmitive Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to [e-mail].