What You'll Do
- Oversee polymer additive manufacturing operations, ensuring consistent scheduling, high throughput, strong yield, and reliable on-time delivery across production cells.
- Develop and maintain key performance metrics, operational rhythms, and continuous improvement practices to enhance efficiency and scalability.
- Lead the full integration of polymer AM systems—including printers, peripherals, and control infrastructure—into a unified production platform, focusing on connectivity, data integrity, traceability, and secure interlocks.
- Define technical requirements, interface standards, and acceptance criteria that support multi-vendor, multi-technology deployment across diverse configurations and sites.
- Design and implement automation strategies for material handling, build exchange, part extraction, depowdering, and cleaning, with attention to workflow efficiency and operator safety.
- Collaborate with OEMs and suppliers to enable deeper system integration through APIs, remote monitoring, calibration access, and serviceability features.
- Develop factory and site acceptance testing protocols, commissioning procedures, and validation plans to ensure system reliability and compliance.
- Work closely with Quality and Process teams to support qualification workflows and production readiness.
- Establish and manage equipment reliability programs, including preventive maintenance, spare parts planning, failure mode analysis, and performance tracking (MTBF/MTTR).
- Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions involving both internal teams and external partners.
- Drive hardware, firmware, and process improvements to increase build utilization, process stability, and output—such as optimizing thermal systems, recoaters, and print parameters—while maintaining strict configuration control.
- Define and maintain standardized operating procedures, safety systems, change management protocols, and training programs for machine operations.
- Prepare for audits and ensure compliance in regulated environments.
- Recruit, mentor, and lead a cross-functional team spanning operations, engineering, controls, and automation.
- Set priorities, manage execution timelines, and build reusable frameworks to accelerate future deployments.
- Partner with engineering, materials, software, supply chain, and operations teams to industrialize solutions and meet production goals.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Controls, Robotics, Manufacturing, or a related engineering discipline.
- Minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in polymer additive manufacturing operations, systems integration, or automation at production scale, with deep knowledge of technologies such as Stratasys SAF, HP MJF, FDM, SLA, or SLS.
- At least 3 years in a leadership role managing teams, with demonstrated success in developing talent and driving performance.
- Strong understanding of polymer powder bed and material extrusion systems, including subsystems like powder handling, thermal controls, recoaters, optics, build management, environmental controls, and post-processing workflows.
- Proven experience with engineering thermoplastics such as PA11 and PA12, including material refresh strategies and recyclability in high-volume settings.
- Experience integrating complex machinery into manufacturing software ecosystems such as MES, SCADA, or data pipelines, including defining interface standards and system requirements.
- Background in managing production operations, including capacity planning, yield optimization, and delivery performance.
- Experience deploying automation solutions in manufacturing, with attention to safety systems, interlocks, commissioning, and long-term support.
- Proficiency in structured problem-solving methods like 8D, 5 Whys, or fishbone diagrams, with a track record of closing corrective actions.
- Willingness to travel up to 20%, including international visits to suppliers.
- U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident, as required for ITAR compliance.
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage.
- 401(k) retirement plan.
- Relocation support available for qualified candidates, based on business needs.
- Flexible vacation policy.
