Production Manager (Aerospace Manufacturing)

Location: Huntington Beach, California, United States. On-site position. Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S.; the role may require access to ITAR- and EAR-controlled information without export-license sponsorship.

Salary: $140,000–$160,000 per year, plus equity.

Company

hirify.global is a rapidly growing defense technology startup developing autonomous defense platforms and scalable manufacturing systems for the United States and its allies.

What you will do

• Lead planning, fabrication, testing, and production execution for prototype hardware, flight hardware, composite airframes, and unmanned aircraft systems.
• Manage manufacturing work centers including soft materials, additive manufacturing, composites, avionics, final integration, and end-of-line vehicle validation.
• Lead, coach, and develop Production Supervisors, Lead Technicians, and technicians across multiple shifts.
• Translate program demand into production schedules, staffing plans, capacity requirements, and daily priorities.
• Own KPIs covering safety, quality, schedule attainment, labor efficiency, throughput, yield, rework, equipment utilization, and cost.
• Drive prototype-to-production transitions, manufacturing readiness, continuous improvement, and capacity expansion planning.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, aviation, automotive, or another high-reliability manufacturing environment, including 3+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership.
• Experience across disciplines such as machining, welding, fabrication, composites, additive manufacturing, electrical or avionics, mechanical integration, or final assembly.
• Experience with prototype development, NPI, LRIP, production ramp, high-mix manufacturing, scheduling, workforce planning, capacity planning, and KPI management.
• Knowledge of production flow, configuration control, nonconformance management, traceability, controlled documentation, GD&T, ASME Y14.5, AS9100, ISO 9001, and aerospace workmanship requirements.
• Experience with ERP/MRP, MES, QMS, WMS, PLM, or equivalent manufacturing systems, plus DFM, PFMEA, RCCA, Lean, 5S, and visual management.
• Ability to obtain and maintain U.S. security clearance and U.S. work authorization; active clearance is preferred. A bachelor's degree in engineering, manufacturing, or a related technical discipline is preferred or equivalent relevant experience.

Nice to have

• Experience leading organizations of 25+ manufacturing personnel.
• Experience with EVM, government or defense-funded programs, manufacturing readiness assessments, process validation, and rate readiness planning.
• Master's degree or certifications such as Lean Six Sigma, PMP, APICS/CPIM, or CMfgE.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive base salary with equity participation and performance-based incentives.
• Healthcare, dental, vision, retirement savings, and paid time off.
• Funding for continuing education, training, and professional development.
• Work environment focused on accountability, quality, safety, operational discipline, and continuous improvement.