Director of Manufacturing Engineering

Beehive Industries is dedicated to Powering American Defense by revolutionizing the design, development, and delivery of jet propulsion systems to support the warfighter. Through the integration of additive manufacturing, the company aims to meet the growing and urgent needs for unmanned aerial defense by dramatically improving a jet engine’s speed to market, fuel efficiency, and cost.      Founded in 2020, the company is headquartered in Centennial, Colorado, with additional facilities in Knoxville, Tennessee, Loveland Ohio, and Mount Vernon, Ohio. Beehive is committed to grow and advance the defense industrial base while manufacturing exclusively in the USA. This role will be located at our Centennial, Colorado facility. Role Overview The Director of Manufacturing Engineering will own end-to-end manufacturing engineering strategy and execution across the product lifecycle, from new product introduction (NPI) through production ramp and rate manufacturing.   This role unifies distributed Centers of Excellence (NPI, Additive, Machining, Assembly & Test) under a single technical vision, ensuring seamless part transitions, robust process definition, and achievement of cost, quality, and rate targets.   The Director will bring deep expertise in additive manufacturing and serve as a key partner to Design Engineering, using data-driven insights to influence design decisions, drive DFM/DFAM, and optimize lifecycle cost, while leading and mentoring a team of Manufacturing Engineers across multiple sites.   What You'll Do... Lifecycle Ownership & Production ReadinessOwn manufacturing engineering across the full product lifecycle: NPI through production ramp and rate manufacturingEnsure robust manufacturing release readiness, including CTQs, process capability, and transfer gatesLead transition to production, including rate readiness, line balancing, and tooling/fixture readiness Multi-Site Integration & Standardization Align NPI, Additive, Machining, and Assembly & Test COEs under a unified operating model #_msocom_1 Establish cross-site standards for process definition, handoffs, data traceability, and work instructionsDrive repeatability, scalability, and efficiency across geographically distributed teams Additive Manufacturing & Technical Leadership Serve as the technical authority for additive manufacturingDefine print strategies, post-processing workflows, and yield optimization approachesDrive DFAM adoption and ensure outputs are optimized for downstream manufacturing processes Design Partnership & DFM Partner with Design Engineering to influence designs using manufacturing dataDrive DFM/DFAM and lifecycle cost optimizationEstablish feedback loops from NPI and production to continuously improve design and manufacturability Process Excellence & Performance Develop and standardize tooling strategies, process flows, and validation plansDrive improvements in yield, throughput, cost, and automationEnsure robust process validation prior to production release and sustained operational performance Team Leadership Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and direction to Manufacturing Engineers across sites and COEsSupport alignment of priorities and execution across a distributed engineering team You have... Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, or related field)10–15+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, preferably in aerospace or complex hardwareExperience leading or mentoring engineering teams in a multi-site or cross-functional environmentDeep expertise in additive manufacturing (metal AM preferred)Experience across NPI, prototyping, production ramp, and high-rate manufacturingStrong background in DFM/DFAM, process validation, tooling, and production systemsDemonstrated ability to operate strategically and execute tacticallyThe ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issues security clearance is required. U.S. Citizenship is required, as only U.S. Citizens are eligible for a security clearance. If this sounds like you, please submit an application with your resume. This could be the opportunity you are looking for to expand your skills, contribute to a winning team, and work with talented people who love what they do and take pride in our mission.  In compliance with Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, the salary range for this position is $195,000-$215,000 base salary.  Please note that wage information is a general guideline only, and we will consider factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, and market conditions when extending an offer.   Beehive Industries offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes group Medical, Dental, Life, and Short and Long-Term disability coverage from day one. We also offer a generous 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with a Company match. Every role at Beehive Industries is bonus eligible and will also receive equity in the company. Beehive Industries is committed to full compliance with applicable anti-discrimination laws. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We strive to create an inclusive work environment and will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Locations: Centennial, CO