Vice President of Manufacturing
A rapidly growing advanced energy technology company is seeking a Vice President of Manufacturing to build and lead its manufacturing organization as the company transitions from technology development into commercialization and production.
This is a high-impact opportunity for a manufacturing leader who has successfully taken complex engineered products from prototype or early-stage development into scalable, repeatable, high-quality production. The role will be responsible for developing the manufacturing strategy, organization, facilities, systems, workforce, production processes, and operational capabilities needed to support commercial growth.
This position reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer.
Position Summary
The Vice President of Manufacturing will lead the industrialization and production readiness of advanced energy systems, next-generation heat exchanger technology, and future complex manufacturing programs. This leader will build the manufacturing function from the ground up, including manufacturing engineering, factory planning, production systems, quality processes, and long-term scalability.
The ideal candidate is both strategic and hands-on, with the ability to design the manufacturing roadmap while also building the team, systems, and processes required for execution.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and lead the company’s manufacturing strategy, roadmap, operating model, budgets, capital plans, and production scaling strategy.
- Build the manufacturing organization from the ground up, including leadership structure, staffing plans, systems, processes, and performance metrics.
- Lead the transition of complex engineered products from development into commercial production.
- Establish production workflows, assembly procedures, tooling, equipment requirements, material flow, manufacturing systems, and shop-floor discipline.
- Partner with Engineering to ensure products are manufacturable, repeatable, cost-effective, and scalable.
- Develop manufacturing and assembly capabilities for advanced energy systems, heat exchanger technologies, and future complex component programs.
- Lead facility planning, layout, equipment acquisition, installation, commissioning, startup, and long-term capacity planning.
- Build and lead the manufacturing engineering function, including DFM/DFA, process optimization, automation, tooling, fixtures, and continuous improvement.
- Partner with Quality to establish inspection processes, traceability, documentation, testing, compliance systems, and future regulatory readiness.
- Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing manufacturing team capable of supporting significant company growth.
Initial Priorities
- During the first 24 months, this leader will be expected to:
- Establish the manufacturing organization, leadership structure, and operating cadence.
- Develop production plans supporting first commercial product launch.
- Build scalable production processes, assembly methods, manufacturing systems, and quality controls.
- Create facility, equipment, automation, and workforce plans for long-term growth.
- Develop a roadmap for bringing selected advanced manufacturing activities in-house.
- Support future manufacturing readiness for highly regulated energy and nuclear-related programs.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related technical discipline.
- 15+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
- Proven success building, scaling, or transforming manufacturing organizations.
- Experience transitioning complex engineered products from development into production.
- Strong background in manufacturing engineering, industrialization, production systems, operational excellence, and facility development.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary teams in complex technical environments.
- Strong leadership, communication, organizational development, and execution skills.
- Ability to thrive in a high-growth, early-stage, or rapidly scaling environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or Business.
- Experience in aerospace, advanced energy, nuclear, defense, industrial equipment, advanced manufacturing, or similarly complex environments.
- Experience with first-of-a-kind hardware products, new product industrialization, advanced materials, additive manufacturing, precision manufacturing, or complex assembly.
- Experience establishing manufacturing operations in a startup or commercialization-stage company.
- Experience with regulated manufacturing environments, quality systems, traceability, and compliance requirements.
- Experience supporting nuclear manufacturing, reactor components, fuel manufacturing, or mission-critical energy technologies.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a true manufacturing builder — someone who can turn advanced engineering designs into scalable production operations. This person is comfortable building teams, designing factory layouts, evaluating automation, implementing quality systems, developing suppliers, and solving practical production challenges.
They bring a strong mix of strategic vision and hands-on execution and thrive in environments where products, facilities, teams, systems, and processes are being built simultaneously.
Compensation & Benefits
The company offers a competitive executive compensation package, including:
401(k) with company match
Competitive base salary
Health, dental, and vision insurance
Paid time off
Equity participation through incentive stock options
Relocation assistance for qualified candidates
Opportunity for advancement
Why This Role Is Compelling
This is not a maintenance leadership role. It is a true build-from-the-ground-up opportunity for a senior manufacturing executive to create the manufacturing organization, systems, facilities, team, and operating model behind a highly advanced energy technology company.
The right leader will directly shape the company’s commercialization strategy, production capability, and long-term manufacturing footprint.
