Supervisor, Manufacturing

Virgin Galactic; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 81,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Bonus potential

Job summary

Virgin Galactic is seeking a Supervisor to lead our Mesa Manufacturing team. The role focuses on improving production flow, equipment utilization, and lean operations to support aircraft modification projects.

The position requires coordinating across planning, scheduling, demands, and assembly to meet milestones and ensure safe, quality builds. The 4/10 onsite schedule runs Thurs-Sun, with potential overtime as needed.

Qualifications

• Six+ years in aerospace/high-reliability field with 3+ years leading others

Responsibilities

• Assign daily tasks to shop leads and staff to meet milestones
• Lead and manage a team of technicians including performance management
• Assemble and integrate Spaceship sub-assemblies
• Collaborate with production team on agile response strategies
• Create and implement recovery plans with engineering/mfg teams
• Work with manufacturing software to manage material and product reviews
• Continuously improve procedures, processes and efficiencies
• Drive safety behavior and FOD awareness
• Coach and transfer expertise to your team
• Forecast completion dates with Build Management
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Design and Quality Engineers
• Prioritize work based on schedule and metrics
• Utilize knowledge of Aircraft systems to prep for integration and testing
• Ensure work deliverables align with production schedule and goals

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Team leadership

Aircraft modification

Process improvement

Reading drawings

MS Excel

Education

Associate’s degree or trade school

Tools

Manufacturing software systems

Dashboards

Job description

Virgin Galactic is seeking highly motivated Supervisor to support our Manufacturing team in Mesa. Guided by our values, “Safety above All”, we proactively manage the risks inherent in human spaceflight through our daily actions in the design and assembly efforts. In this role, your technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality will impact safe spaceflights. You will implement strategies to enhance production efficiency, quality, and improve financial performance. Maintain a mindset of continuous improvement to keep our production-related processes ever evolving. Establish and share the vision towards a common goal while holding self and others accountable.

As a Supervisor, your primary focus is to help refine and improve the production flow, equipment, and tools to create an efficient, organized, and lean factory. Organize daily tasks to meet milestones, understanding manufacturing schedule, and drive the overall performance on aircraft modification projects. To be successful, this supervisory role will require collaboration across teams and all functions of planning, scheduling, demands, and assembly to properly support the build schedule by means of identifying tooling, materials, resources, planning, and product definition to ensure a seamless transition from paper to reality.

Work Schedule: 4/10 Onsite Thursday through Sunday Day Shift (6:00am – 4:30pm)

Please note: As an exempt position, the Supervisor may be required to work outside of this shift schedule.

Responsibilities

• Assign daily tasks to shop leads and staff to ensure daily milestones are met/exceeded to ensure productivity
• Lead and manage a team of technicians including all performance management related tasks and team development
• Assemble and integrate Spaceship sub-assemblies
• Collaborate with production team to develop and implement agile response strategies for rapid project adjustments
• Create and implement recovery plans with engineering/ manufacturing teams to support conflict resolution efforts
• Work with manufacturing software system to manage material and product review process
• Continuously improve procedures, processes, and efficiencies
• Drive safety behavior and Foreign Object Debris (FOD) awareness/prevention; ensure adherence to regulatory protocols and rules
• Coach, train, and transfer expertise to your team to drive projects to completions
• Work closely with Build Management to forecast completion dates and day to day updates
• Collaborate effectively with Manufacturing, Design and Quality Engineers to ensure our vehicles meet our standards for design and quality
• Prioritize work based on production schedule, organizational goals, and metrics
• Utilize your overall general knowledge of Aircraft (Avionics, Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Propulsion Systems and Mechanical Systems) to structurally prepare the aircraft for systems integration and functional testing
• Ensure work deliverables are prioritized based on production schedule, organizational goals, and metrics and align by defining roles

Required Skills And Experience

• Relevant education, such as trade school or Associate’s degree; and /or equivalent technical work experience
• Minimum of six years’ experience in an aerospace or equivalent high-reliability field with three years of leading others and/or demonstrated ability to lead and train on technical concepts
• Experience with aircraft manufacturing with composite and/or metallic airframes
• Experience in assembly, integration, and handling of large products, assembling large tight tolerance structures
• Extensive experience and/or training in lean manufacturing principles and leading or participating in process improvement workshops
• Ability to read and interpret drawings, blueprints, and/or models on paper or digital
• Demonstrated computer and analytical skills including proficiency in MS Excel, manufacturing software or related programs and dashboards

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Airframe & Power plant (A&P) training preferred
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing (Kaizen/Six Sigma) philosophies and tools a plus
• Working knowledge of configuration management practices and quality management processes
• Proficient in interpreting engineering models, drawings, specifications, written/digital work
• Strong analytical skills, combined with a strong commercial acumen to measure the potential impact of each decision
• Ability to ensure effective collaboration across teams
• Ability to work independently and cross‑functionally
• Set clear objectives and milestones
• Communicate clearly and with transparency

The annual U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $80,855.00–$123,342.00. The base pay actually offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, and experience and take into account internal equity. Other forms of pay (e.g., bonus or long term incentive) may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered. For more information regarding Virgin Galactic benefits, please visit https://vgcareers.virgingalactic.com/global/en/benefits

Who We Are

Virgin Galactic is an aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers with its advanced air and space vehicles. We are making the dream of space travel a reality, delivering spaceflight at an unprecedented frequency, with the development of next generation space vehicles.

Export Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Person (either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a protected individual as defined 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or be able to obtain the required authorization from either the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The applicant must also not be included in the list of Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. See list here.

EEO Statement

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

Drug Free Workplace

Virgin Galactic is committed to a Drug Free Workplace. All applicants post offer and active teammates are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies. This can include pre‑employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and accident related drug and alcohol testing.

Phoenix Employment Requirements

For individuals seeking employment at our Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport facility, employment is contingent upon you obtaining and maintaining a TSA authorized security badge. This includes initial and annual mandatory background checks that are governed by TSA, and conducted by the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport badging office.