Senior Manager, Additive Manufacturing Operations

Divergent; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 157,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity plan

Bonus opportunities

Paid vacation

Sick time

Company holidays

Parental leave

Health benefits

Life insurance

Disability coverage

L&D reimbursement

Collaborative environment

Job summary

Divergent is seeking a Senior Manager of Additive Manufacturing Operations to lead Factory 1 and scale our LPBF production. You will drive safety, quality, delivery, cost, and equipment reliability while shaping the future of manufacturing across multiple sites.

The role requires building a talented team, implementing Lean manufacturing, data-driven decision making, and partnering with engineering to industrialize new technologies. Leadership in high-growth manufacturing is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Mechanical/ Manufacturing/ Industrial Engineering or related field.
• Proven success leading complex manufacturing operations in high-performance environments.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead Factory 1 additive manufacturing operations to achieve world-class performance in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and equipment reliability.
• Build, develop, and mentor a high-performing team while fostering accountability and continuous improvement.
• Drive daily management with standard work, visual management, and structured problem solving.
• Optimize manufacturing flow by increasing uptime, reducing bottlenecks, and boosting throughput.
• Partner with Platform Development, Manufacturing Engineering, and Automation to launch new capabilities.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Operational excellence

Leadership

Data-driven decisions

Manufacturing leadership

Education

Mechanical Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering

Industrial Engineering

Job description

Divergent is a technology company that has architected, invented, built, and commercialized an end-to-end factory system called the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS) that comprehensively uses machine learning to optimally engineer, additively manufacture, and flexibly assemble complex integrated vehicle structures and subsystems. Products created using DAPS are superior in performance, lower in cost, rapidly customizable to meet mission and customer-specific requirements, faster to market, and scalable on demand to high volume production. Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs, and Divergent is now expanding to support mission critical needs in the Aerospace and Defense sector. Join us to be a part of this transformative journey, where your impact will shape the future of technology and production.

Purpose

We are seeking an exceptional, results-driven Senior Manager of Additive Manufacturing Operations to lead and scale our Factory 1 production organization. This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for driving world-class execution across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people development while shaping the future of manufacturing. The Additive Manufacturing organization leverages proprietary, state-of-the-art systems and processes to execute metal laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), depowdering, manual and automated support removal, surface finishing, heat treatment, and inspection across multiple factory sites supporting both prototype and high-rate production. This role is ideal for an ambitious operations leader who thrives in fast-paced, high-growth environments and combines strong manufacturing fundamentals with data-driven decision making, automation, and continuous improvement. Beyond delivering daily operational performance, this leader will develop people, build scalable operating systems, and partner with engineering to industrialize new technologies that will define the next generation of manufacturing. The ideal candidate is energized by difficult manufacturing challenges, inspires high-performing teams, and is passionate about building organizations capable of delivering exceptional results.

Operational Leadership

• Lead Factory 1 additive manufacturing operations to achieve world-class performance in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and equipment reliability.
• Build, develop, and mentor a high-performing team while fostering a culture of accountability, ownership, urgency, and continuous improvement.
• Drive disciplined daily management through standard work, visual management, structured problem solving, and operational rigor.
• Optimize manufacturing flow by increasing equipment uptime, eliminating bottlenecks, improving process repeatability, and maximizing production throughput.
• Partner closely with Platform Development, Manufacturing Engineering, and Automation teams to successfully launch new equipment, technologies, and manufacturing capabilities.

Operational Excellence

• Champion Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement across all additive manufacturing processes.
• Establish scalable operating systems that improve efficiency, stability, and manufacturing readiness as production grows.
• Utilize manufacturing data, KPIs, and analytics to drive operational decisions and prioritize improvement initiatives.
• Develop meaningful performance dashboards and operating rhythms that enable rapid identification and resolution of production issues.
• Lead initiatives to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), first-pass yield, cycle time, labor productivity, and cost per part.

Equipment Reliability & Technical Capability

• Continue developing the in-house Additive Manufacturing Service organization by strengthening technical capability, preventive maintenance programs, troubleshooting processes, and technician training.
• Drive reliability initiatives that maximize printer availability, reduce unplanned downtime, and improve long-term equipment performance.
• Partner with technical teams to identify recurring equipment issues and implement sustainable corrective actions.

Performance Monitoring & Compliance

• Ensure strict adherence to Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), work instructions, process controls, and quality standards.
• Monitor key operational metrics and hold teams accountable for achieving business objectives.
• Drive disciplined root cause analysis and corrective actions to eliminate recurring manufacturing issues.
• Develop clear, actionable operational reporting that enables data-driven decision making across the organization.

Safety, Quality & Financial Management

• Foster a safety-first culture aligned with Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) standards and best practices.
• Partner with EHS to proactively develop and implement safety initiatives that reduce operational risk.
• Ensure manufacturing processes consistently meet internal quality requirements and applicable industry standards.
• Develop, manage, and execute the Factory 1 Additive Manufacturing operating budget while balancing productivity, cost, and long-term capability investments.

Basic Qualifications

• Ability to lawfully access information and technology that is subject to US export controls.
• Demonstrated success leading complex manufacturing operations in high-performance production environments.
• Proven ability to build, develop, and lead high-performing technical organizations.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, operational excellence, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience using manufacturing data and operational metrics to drive strategic decision making and measurable business results.
• Proven ability to execute in startup or rapidly scaling manufacturing environments while effectively navigating ambiguity and change.
• Demonstrated success improving operational performance through equipment reliability, process optimization, and organizational development.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Weld Engineering, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent practical experience).

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership experience in metal additive manufacturing or other advanced manufacturing environments.
• Experience with Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) production systems.
• Experience with aerospace manufacturing standards, including AS9100 and NADCAP.
• Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, or similar operational excellence methodologies.
• Experience leading automation, Industry 4.0, MES, or digital manufacturing initiatives.
• Demonstrated success scaling manufacturing organizations through periods of rapid growth.

Pay Range

$156,640 — $215,380 USD

What We Offer

• Holistic Compensation Package: Enjoy a world-class compensation package that includes a competitive salary, equity plan, and discretionary results-based incentive bonus opportunities, ensuring you're truly valued for your contributions.
• Wellness and Time Off: Embrace a healthy lifestyle with paid vacation, sick time, and company holidays, including a year-end shutdown to recharge. We support growing families with paid parental leave, recognizing the importance of bonding time.
• Comprehensive Health and Wellness: Prioritize your well‑being with our comprehensive health and wellness benefits, offering both HMO and Premium PPO options. Additionally, benefit from company-sponsored life insurance and short and long-term disability coverage for peace of mind.
• Investment in Growth: We're committed to your professional development. Take advantage of reimbursement opportunities for learning and development initiatives, empowering you to continuously expand your skill set and reach peak performance.
• Collaborative and High-Performing Environment: Join our collaborative, dynamic, and high-performing team within a fast-paced, mission-driven company. Together, we're disrupting the traditional manufacturing industry, fostering innovation, and integrating people and technology to reduce our footprint.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Divergent is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected characteristic.

Divergent provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

Right to Work

E-Verify: Our company participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is a program that electronically confirms a candidate’s eligibility to work in the United States after completing the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9). The information provided on the Form I-9 is compared to the records contained in the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) databases.

Eligibility to Work Poster (English) | Eligibility to Work Poster (Spanish)

Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO). Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO), we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

No agencies, no solicitations, and no calls please.