Senior Operations Engineering Manager (Aerospace)

Location: 100% onsite in Wichita, Kansas, United States. The selected candidate must work onsite at the Wichita location.

Salary: $144,050–$220,850 annual base pay range, based on experience, qualifications, market, and business considerations.

Company

Spirit Defense is hirify.global’ defense business unit and an independent supplier to the defense and space marketplace, providing engineering, rapid prototyping, technologies, and mission support.

What you will do

• Manage, develop, and motivate employees while establishing performance plans and leading multiple management levels.
• Oversee and approve technical approaches, products, processes, policies, and departmental plans.
• Define factory vision and strategy, set operational goals, and optimize production system design and operational efficiency.
• Manage organizational and project budgets, asset planning, headcount planning, and short- and medium-range resource planning.
• Lead factory and operations metrics improvement, technical supplier management, and process improvement initiatives to support safe, on-time delivery of quality products.
• Coordinate with executive leadership, customers, suppliers, stakeholders, and program teams on priorities, proposals, status updates, approvals, and issue resolution.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related four-year technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in Manufacturing Operations, including shop floor manufacturing operations, production/manufacturing engineering, integration and test engineering, or industrial engineering.
• 10+ years of experience leading problem-solving methods such as Root Cause Analysis, 5 Whys, or other assessment, audit, and investigative models.
• 5+ years of related management, supervisory, and/or leadership experience.
• Ability to obtain a U.S. Secret Security Clearance and Special Program Access; U.S. Government requirements include U.S. citizenship.

Nice to have

• Master’s degree in engineering or a related field.
• Active U.S. Secret Security Clearance and Special Program Access.
• Experience in the aerospace industry, particularly military or defense programs.
• Knowledge of mechanical assemblies, manufacturing processes, and industry standards.
• Understanding of Root Cause Analysis, Five Whys, Fishbone/Ishikawa Analysis, 8D, and root-cause-driven engineering changes.
• Experience or relevant coursework in Six Sigma, Lean+, manufacturing, or process improvement.
• Leadership in major business transformation initiatives and progressive leadership with increasing scope and responsibility.
• Strategic leadership mindset and excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Culture & Benefits

• Drug-free workplace with post-offer and employee testing when policy criteria are met.
• Eligible employees may enroll in health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance, and paid and unpaid time-off programs.
• Benefits and program availability vary by eligibility, geographic location, hire date, and collective bargaining applicability.
• Eligible Kansas employees may receive a $5,000 Kansas Aviation tax credit for up to five years.
• The employer does not sponsor employment visas.