UAS Production Manager — Lean, Safety & On‑Time Delivery

Colsa; Madison, Northern (AL, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k)

Job summary

COLSA is seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead day-to-day manufacturing operations and ensure safety, quality, output, cost, and schedule objectives. Reporting to the Director, Uncrewed Systems, this role owns daily production execution across staffing, output, quality, material readiness, training, and process adherence.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, people-focused leader with a strong floor presence who uses data to drive decisions and continuously improves safety, quality,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent experience
• 10–12 years in a functional area with 5–8 years in manufacturing/production
• Experience leading or supervising production employees
• Experience in aerospace, uncrewed systems (UAS)/drones, robotics, electronics background required
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production flow, and shop-floor execution
• Experience using an ERP/MRP system in support of manufacturing operations
• Experience managing staffing, production priorities, and changing operational requirements
• Experience using and reporting on manufacturing KPIs such as output, yield, scrap, cycle time, downtime, and labor efficiency
• Strong leadership, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills
• Ability to make timely decisions in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
• Proficient with standard business software and manufacturing systems
• U.S. Citizenship required; must be able to complete a criminal background check and/or obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance, if required for the position.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily manufacturing operations for assigned production areas, lines, or programs
• Execute production plans while maintaining safety, quality, delivery, and cost
• Establish daily targets, priorities, staffing plans, and labor allocation
• Monitor production performance and quickly upscale material, quality, equipment, process, or staffing constraints
• Develop recovery plans when production falls behind schedule
• Maintain strong floor leadership and standards for safety, organization, cleanliness, and 5S
• Ensure operations comply with applicable OSHA, FAA, FAR, and contractual requirements
• Directly supervise production leads, technicians, assemblers, and operators
• Manage daily staffing, attendance, overtime, training, and operator qualification
• Set clear expectations and provide regular coaching and actionable performance feedback
• Address productivity, quality, attendance, and performance concerns consistently and promptly
• Support onboarding and develop production leads and high-performing team members for increased responsibility
• Foster a culture of accountability, urgency, teamwork, respect, and continuous improvement

Skills

Leadership

Staffing planning

Problem-solving

Communication

Data-driven decisions

Shop-floor execution

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Deltek Costpoint MRP

ERP/MRP

Job description

COLSA is seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead day-to-day manufacturing operations and ensure safety, quality, output, cost, and schedule objectives. Reporting to the Director, Uncrewed Systems, this role owns daily production execution across staffing, output, quality, material readiness, training, and process adherence.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, people-focused leader with a strong floor presence who uses data to drive decisions and continuously improves safety, quality,