Senior Manager, Manufactruing Operations

Company Overview

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.

Location

This role will be located at our Cincinnati, Ohio facility.

Role Overview

The Senior Manufacturing Operations Manager is responsible for leading all aspects of production, post‑processing, and shipping & receiving for the Knoxville, Tennessee site. As Beehive’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence, this role plays a critical part in scaling and industrializing additive manufacturing processes, including Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and Metal Binder Jetting (MBJ). The position sits between site‑level execution and strategic leadership, reporting to the Operations Director. The Senior Manager will lead a team consisting of two Operations Supervisors, with overall responsibility for a team of 15+ employees, bridging engineering and operations to drive process discipline, technical excellence, and production performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production, post‑processing, and logistics operations, ensuring safe, efficient, and high‑quality execution across the Knoxville site.
• Provide direct leadership to two Operations Supervisors and a team of 15+ employees, fostering a culture of accountability, technical growth, and continuous improvement.
• Set daily and weekly priorities in alignment with Production Control, balancing capacity, engineering constraints, and customer delivery commitments.
• Support and advance additive manufacturing capabilities (LPBF and MBJ), ensuring processes are optimized from print readiness through final inspection.
• Drive development and implementation of robust, end‑to‑end workflows that enable transition from development to full‑rate production.
• Lead Lean and Six Sigma initiatives to improve throughput, reduce waste, and enhance process capability across manufacturing and post‑processing operations.
• Track and drive key metrics including on‑time delivery, yield, equipment utilization, and cost performance.
• Ensure adherence to EHS, quality, and regulatory requirements, particularly within aerospace and defense manufacturing environments.
• Monitor and report on operational performance, supporting cost control and productivity improvements aligned with site and company goals.
• Build and develop a high‑performing team through coaching, performance management, and active participation in hiring and workforce planning.

Requirements

• 8–12+ years of experience in manufacturing, with a strong emphasis within advanced or additive manufacturing environments.
• 5+ years of experience leading teams in a production and/or manufacturing engineering setting, with demonstrated success building high‑performing teams.
• Hands‑on or applied experience with metal additive manufacturing processes such as LPBF and/or MBJ (strongly preferred).
• Proven experience managing or supporting production environments, with accountability for output, quality, and delivery.
• Background in aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments with strong quality and compliance standards.
• Familiarity with CAD software (NX, SolidWorks), ERP systems, and manufacturing systems.
• Experience applying Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies to drive measurable improvements.
• Strong leadership and communication skills; ability to influence across functions, communicate effectively with technical and operational teams, and lead through ambiguity in a fast‑paced environment.
• Analytical capability to interpret data, identify trends, and drive decisions that improve operational and engineering performance.

Benefits

• Group medical, dental, life, and short‑ and long‑term disability coverage from day one.
• Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match.
• Bonus eligibility for every role.
• Equity in the company.