Relevant education, such as trade school or Associate’s degree; and /or equivalent technical work experience
Minimum of six years’ experience in an aerospace or equivalent high-reliability field with three years of leading others and/ or demonstrated ability to lead and train on technical concepts
Experience with aircraft manufacturing with composite and/or metallic airframes
Nice to have
Airframe & Power plant (A&P) training preferred
Knowledge of lean manufacturing (Kaizen/Six Sigma) philosophies and tools a plus
Working knowledge of configuration management practices and quality management processes
Proficient in interpreting engineering models, drawings, specifications, written/digital work
Strong analytical skills, combined with a strong commercial acumen to measure the potential impact of each decision
Ability to ensure effective collaboration across teams
Ability to work independently and cross‐functionally
Set clear objectives and milestones
Communicate clearly and with transparency
Lead by example in strong safety forward thinking, practice good housekeeping, tool control, recognizing the importance of properly handling hazardous materials and, chemicals
Familiar with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
Full description
Virgin Galactic is seeking highly motivated Manufacturing Operations Supervisor to lead and support our vehicle and rocket motor manufacturing teams. Guided by our values, “Safety above All”, we proactively manage the risks inherent in human spaceflight through our daily actions in the design and assembly efforts. In this role, your technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality will impact safe spaceflights. You will implement strategies to enhance production efficiency, quality, and improve financial performance. Maintain a mindset of continuous improvement to keep our production-related processes ever evolving. Establish and share the vision towards a common goal while holding self and others accountable.
Primary focus is to Lead Rocket Motor/Spaceship fabrication and assembly. As a Supervisor, your role is to help refine and improve the production flow, equipment, and tools to create an efficient, organized, and lean factory. Organize daily tasks to meet milestones, in alignment with manufacturing schedule, and drive the overall performance of the manufacturing plan. To be successful, this supervisory role will require collaboration across teams and all functions of planning, scheduling, demands, and assembly to properly support the build schedule by means of identifying tooling, materials, resources, planning, and product definition to ensure a seamless transition from paper to reality.
Current Work Schedule
OnsiteMonday through Friday Day (6:00am – 4:30pm)
Potential Future Work Schedules
Onsite Monday through Friday Night (4:00pm - 2:30am)
Onsite Thursday through Monday Day (6:00am – 4:30pm)
Responsibilities
Assign daily tasks to shop leads and staff to ensure daily milestones are met/exceeded to ensure productivity
Lead and manage a team of technicians including all performance management related tasks and team development
Oversight of Assembling Spaceship/ Rocket Motor components from start to completion in a fast-paced Mfg. Environment
Influences technical projects, technicians, or interdepartmental functions to achieve goals or solve problems
Continuously improve procedures, processes, and efficiencies
Drive safety behavior and Foreign Object Debris (FOD) awareness/prevention; ensure adherence to regulatory protocols and rules
Coach, train, and transfer expertise to your team to drive projects to completions
Work closely with Build Management to forecast completion dates and day to day updates
Collaborate effectively with Manufacturing, Design and Quality Engineers to ensure our vehicles meet our standards for design and quality
Supervisor, Manufacturing Operations at Virgin Galactic (Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona) — aijobsearch
Prioritize work based on production schedule, organizational goals, and metrics
Utilize your overall general knowledge of Composite and similar Manufacturing skills to produce a high performing Hybrid Rocket
Work with manufacturing software system to manage material and product review process
Required Skills and Experience
Relevant education, such as trade school or Associate’s degree; and /or equivalent technical work experience
Minimum of six years’ experience in an aerospace or equivalent high-reliability field with three years of leading others and/ or demonstrated ability to lead and train on technical concepts
Experience with aircraft manufacturing with composite and/or metallic airframes
Experience in assembly, integration, and handling of large products, assembling large tight tolerance structures
Extensive experience and/or training in lean manufacturing principles and leading or participating in process improvement workshops
Ability to read and interpret drawings, blueprints, and/or models on paper or digital
Demonstrated computer and analytical skills including proficiency in MS Excel, manufacturing software or related programs and dashboards
Preferred Skills and Experience
Airframe & Power plant (A&P) training preferred
Knowledge of lean manufacturing (Kaizen/Six Sigma) philosophies and tools a plus
Working knowledge of configuration management practices and quality management processes
Proficient in interpreting engineering models, drawings, specifications, written/digital work
Strong analytical skills, combined with a strong commercial acumen to measure the potential impact of each decision
Ability to ensure effective collaboration across teams
Ability to work independently and cross‐functionally
Set clear objectives and milestones
Communicate clearly and with transparency
Lead by example in strong safety forward thinking, practice good housekeeping, tool control, recognizing the importance of properly handling hazardous materials and, chemicals
Familiar with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
#LI-MS1
The annual U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $80,855.00–$123,342.00. The base pay actually offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, and experience and take into account internal equity. Other forms of pay (e.g., bonus or long term incentive) may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered. For more information regarding Virgin Galactic benefits, please visit
Who We Are
Virgin Galactic is an aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers with its advanced air and space vehicles. We are making the dream of space travel a reality, delivering spaceflight at an unprecedented frequency, with the development of next generation space vehicles.
Export Requirements To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Person (either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a protected individual as defined 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or be able to obtain the required authorization from either the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The applicant must also not be included in the list of Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. See list here.
EEO Statement Virgin Galactic is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Virgin Galactic is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Drug Free Workplace Virgin Galactic is committed to a Drug Free Workplace. All applicants post offer and active teammates are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies. This can include pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and accident related drug and alcohol testing.
Phoenix Employment Requirements For individuals seeking employment at our Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport facility, employment is contingent upon you obtaining and maintaining a TSA authorized security badge. This includes initial and annual mandatory background checks that are governed by TSA, and conducted by the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport badging office.
Accommodation Requests
If you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a position, please contact the Virgin Galactic Talent Team at: VGTalent@virgingalactic.com
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