Director of Production Engineering

My client is developing next‑generation Ultra Short aircraft to enable Direct Aviation-quiet, emission‑free air mobility without relying on airports. Headquartered in Northern Virginia, they are a fast‑paced, innovative aerospace venture building a high‑talent team to reinvent regional air travel.

Position Overview

They are seeking a Director, Production Engineering to lead Digital Factory development, Production Engineering integration, and Supplier cross‑functional coordination for aircraft manufacturing. This leader will drive scalable factory planning, production systems, MBOM/EBOM alignment, supplier readiness, build schedules, and manufacturability improvements. The role requires strong program leadership, cross‑engineering collaboration, and experience managing production within an advanced aerospace environment.

Key Responsibilities

Digital Factory Leadership

• Develop scalable factory layout and production line strategy (pulsing vs. fixed).
• Evaluate feeder systems and digital factory tools (MRP, scanners, flow analytics, planning, kitting, inventory control).
• Create production models including part cost, labor, learning curves, and takt time.
• Build preliminary master build schedule.
• Establish digital vehicle database for internal engineering and customer visualization.

Production Engineering Integration

• Review engineering tools/processes and perform VSM for lean improvements.
• Analyze prototype EBOM and collaborate with IPTs to define procurement codes.
• Create preliminary MBOM and align production breaks with factory layout.
• Define configuration for FM PCA and V&V.
• Conduct producibility assessments and identify OOE, accessibility, and process improvements.
• Set up MRB plan and liaison engineering training.
• Validate MBOM vs. EBOM and integrate into master schedule.
• Prepare MRP system (P1-P4) for builds and inventory control.

Supplier Cross‑Functional Integration

• Use schedule and MBOM to define supplier lead times and required delivery dates.
• Support supply management in communicating delivery expectations and buffers.
• Develop PCA requirements and FM CofC criteria for supplier items.
• Validate quality plans for Tier 1 suppliers.
• Support selection of remaining Tier 1-3 suppliers.
• Perform additional duties as needed.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in engineering + 12+ years relevant experience (or equivalent).
• Background in program management, production engineering deployment, risk analysis, cross‑functional collaboration, and aerospace production leadership.

Required Skills

• Strong influence across design, prototype, preproduction, and production phases.
• Expertise with non‑conformance processes and materials.
• Proficiency with commercial CAD (NX/CATIA) and MS Office.
• Ability to create and manage manufacturing budgets and schedules.
• Experience with FAA/EASA Part 21 Subpart G and AS9100D compliance.
• Knowledge of precision aircraft subsystem manufacturing and materials (composites, metals, foams, etc.).

Desired Qualifications

• Master's degree preferred.
• Experience designing and executing tests for new manufacturing processes.
• Composites layup, molding, and vacuum‑bagging experience.
• Aluminum airframe fabrication/assembly experience.