Director Production Engineering

About Electra:

Electra's next gen mission is to develop Ultra Short aircraft, built for Direct Aviation. We are redefining the next level of connectivity, pioneering direct aviation - without airports, emissions, or noise. Electra's Ultra Short aircraft will revolutionize air travel by bringing it closer to where we live, work, and play, making new connections possible. This makes a new venture like Electra exciting and fast-paced. Headquartered in Northern Virginia, we're on a quest to build a team of insanely talented people who want to do meaningful work.

Position Overview

Electra.aero, a next-gen aerospace technology company, seeks a dynamic and energetic Director, Production Engineering. This role will oversee the Digital Factory Leadership, Production Engineering Integration and Supplier Cross-Functional Integration for our aircraft production. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in program management, leading production engineering deployments, performing analyses for product engineering, assessing risk, collaborating with multiple engineering teams and overseeing a large production department, developing policies, guidelines and aligning strategic initiatives within a fast-paced, innovative environment.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions

Digital Factory Leadership

• Size a scalable baseline factory Layout
• Perform trade study on pulsing or fixed production lines
• Perform trade Study on Feeder Systems
• Generate a production model with financial input to include part cost, touch labor, parametric learning curves, and variable takt
• Generate a preliminary master build schedule
• Perform market survey for Digital Factory Tools-MRP System, Scanners, Factory Flow Analytics, Digital Planning and Flow Control, Shop Floor Metrics and Delivery, Kitting, inventory control, and financial
• Establish a digital database for Visualization of entire vehicle for both engineering and Customers (digital experience internal configurations, cockpit and commercial interior).

Production Engineering Integration

• Review Engineering Tools and Processes and generate a VSM analysis and provide input on Lean Engineering practices to be considered.
• Perform an analysis of the prototype engineering EBOM
• Work with the IPT's to establish Proc Codes (make, buy, MOA, POA, Std Parts, etc)
• Generate a preliminary MBOM and Identify build plan (production breaks) suitable for factory layout and build plan.
• Generate configuration end item definition for FM PCA and V&V.
• Identify areas for manufacturing improvement
• Establish MRB plan and training for Liaison Engineering
• Perform a producibility analysis and identify areas for manufacturing improvement (blind areas, order of operation enhancements for paint, sealant, routing, etc.)
• Validate the MBOM versus the EBOM, to ensure all engineering is consumed into and integrated into the master schedule
• Load the MRP system for P1-P4 and prepare it for build load and inventory control

Supplier Cross-Functional Integration

• Use the master schedule and MBOM to generate lead times and need dates for all end items from Suppliers and internal
• Support SM in providing suppliers all delivery dates with internal margins
• Support the generation of critical deliverables for PCA of supplier end items and generate FM CofC requirements
• Validate the quality plans and quality processes for the Tier 1 Supply base
• Support SM and Engineering in the trade studies and selection of any remaining Tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 suppliers
• Other duties as assigned.

General Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering and 12+ years of experience (or an equivalent combination of education, skills, and experience).
• Experience in program management, leading production engineering deployments, performing analyses for product engineering, assessing risk, collaborating with multiple engineering teams and overseeing a large production department within a fast-paced, innovative aircraft environment.

Required Skills:

• A strong work ethic and ability to influence design, prototype, preproduction, and production manufacturing efforts.
• Experienced with management of non-conforming processes and materials.
• Comfortable with commercial quality CAD packages (i.e. NX/CATIA), and MS Suite tools.
• Ability to budget and schedule manufacturing activities as appropriate and update those estimates as a program matures.
• Experienced in FAA/EASA certified aircraft manufacturing as per Part 21 subpart G. Experienced in AS9100D manufacturing process compliance.
• Experienced with precision aircraft subsystem and system manufacturing and integration with many structural components made from a variety of materials, including carbon fiber, kevlar, fiberglass, foam, balsa, mylar, aluminum, Ti, etc.

Desired Qualifications:

• Masters Degree preferred.

• Development and execution of tests to confirm the function and quality of new manufacturing processes.
• Pre-prep and wet-layup composites molding and vacuum-bagging experience desired.
• Aluminum airframe fabrication and assembly experience desired.

Location:

• Headquarters in Manassas, VA. To encourage close collaboration, this position will be onsite in our Manassas, VA location.
  
  

Travel: 35-60%