Program Manager – Production Automation

This role is a Program Manager for Production Automation at Griffon Aerospace, leading manufacturing improvement initiatives across UAS production lines. The position owns project execution for both internal manufacturing initiatives and external customer-facing deliverables, coordinating engineering, production, and quality functions to keep programs on schedule, on budget, and aligned to contract requirements. The role focuses on process development, manufacturing automation, and production line readiness, with responsibilities including risk management and customer status reporting.

Responsibilities

• Serve as program manager for manufacturing capacity and process improvement initiatives, owning schedule, budget, risk, and deliverable tracking from kickoff through execution
• Coordinate inward-facing manufacturing initiatives supporting UAS production, including process development, materials/process qualification, and production line readiness
• Lead manufacturing automation projects, coordinating with engineering, production, and outside vendors from concept through implementation to reduce touch labor and improve repeatability
• Manage outward-facing program activities, including customer status reporting, milestone reviews, and coordination with government program offices
• Partner with engineering and production to resolve materials, process, and manufacturing issues affecting cost, schedule, or quality
• Drive risk identification and mitigation across assigned projects, maintaining risk registers and escalating issues proactively

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, materials science, business, or a related technical field; equivalent experience will be considered
• Proven ability to plan, schedule, and execute multi-disciplinary manufacturing projects on time and on budget
• Strong working knowledge of project management fundamentals, including scope, schedule, risk, and budget management
• Manufacturing experience, with working knowledge of materials and process considerations affecting production (e.g., composites, metallics, finishing, or assembly processes)
• Ability to coordinate across engineering, production, quality, supply chain, and outside contractors/vendors
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to interface effectively with all levels of management, customers, and government representatives
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and shifting priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
• Proficiency with project management and scheduling tools (e.g., MS Project or similar)

Nice to have

• 5+ years of project or program management experience in aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing
• Background in materials and process engineering, such as composite fabrication, metallics, bonding/adhesives, or manufacturing process qualification
• Experience managing production line stand-ups, process development efforts, or manufacturing scale-up projects
• Experience with automation projects such as robotics, CNC integration, or fixture/tooling development
• Familiarity with UAS/UAV production environments
• PMP certification or equivalent formal project management training
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies
• Experience with ERP/PLM systems (e.g., Visual ERP, ePDM) and CAD-adjacent documentation workflows