1

Director Manufacturing Excellence Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Deep understanding of manufacturing plant operations, including Lean principles and Operational Excellence, with hands-on or leadership experience in a plant environment. * Strong grasp of plant ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Director Manufacturing Excellence information

See salary details

$69.5K

$141.9K

$209.5K

How much do director manufacturing excellence jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for director manufacturing excellence in the United States is $141,872.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $111,500.00 and $167,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Director of Manufacturing Excellence?

A Director of Manufacturing Excellence is a senior leader responsible for driving continuous improvement and operational efficiency across manufacturing processes within an organization. They develop and implement best practices, lean manufacturing principles, and quality standards to enhance productivity, reduce costs, and ensure high product quality. This role often involves leading cross-functional teams, analyzing performance metrics, and fostering a culture of innovation and accountability throughout the manufacturing operations.

What is the difference between Director Manufacturing Excellence vs Manufacturing Engineer?

AspectDirector Manufacturing ExcellenceManufacturing Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in Engineering, Six Sigma, Lean certificationsBachelor's in Engineering or related field, Six Sigma or Lean certifications often preferred
Work EnvironmentStrategic leadership, cross-departmental collaboration, executive meetingsHands-on production, process improvement, equipment troubleshooting
Employer & Industry UsageManufacturing companies, focusing on process optimization and qualityManufacturing plants, focusing on process design and implementation

The main difference is that the Director Manufacturing Excellence oversees strategic initiatives to improve manufacturing processes at a high level, while the Manufacturing Engineer focuses on implementing and optimizing specific manufacturing processes on the ground. The director role involves leadership and planning, whereas the engineer role is more technical and operational.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Director of Manufacturing Excellence, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director of Manufacturing Excellence, you need deep expertise in lean manufacturing, process optimization, and operational leadership, often backed by a degree in engineering or a related field. Familiarity with Six Sigma methodologies, ERP systems, and continuous improvement tools such as Kaizen is typically required, along with relevant certifications like Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Strong analytical thinking, communication, and change management skills help drive cross-functional teams and foster a culture of improvement. These skills and qualities are crucial for delivering sustained operational efficiency, cost savings, and competitive advantage in manufacturing environments.

What are some common challenges faced by a Director of Manufacturing Excellence, and how can they be addressed?

A Director of Manufacturing Excellence often encounters challenges such as driving consistent process improvements across diverse teams, overcoming resistance to change, and aligning various departments toward shared operational goals. To address these, effective communication, strong leadership, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement are essential. Building cross-functional teams, providing ongoing training, and leveraging data-driven methodologies like Lean or Six Sigma can help overcome obstacles and drive sustainable results.
More about Director Manufacturing Excellence jobs
What cities are hiring for Director Manufacturing Excellence jobs? Cities with the most Director Manufacturing Excellence job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Manufacturing Excellence jobs? The most popular types of Manufacturing Excellence jobs are:
What states have the most Director Manufacturing Excellence jobs? States with the most job openings for Director Manufacturing Excellence jobs include:
Infographic showing various Director Manufacturing Excellence job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 6% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $141,872 per year, or $68.2 per hour.
Director, Manufacturing Engineering

Director, Manufacturing Engineering

ANDURIL INDUSTRIES

Costa Mesa, CA • On-site

$220K - $292K/yr

Full-time

Posted 13 days ago


Anduril rating

9.4

Company rating: 9.4 out of 10

Based on 7 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril's family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.
ABOUT THE TEAM
We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Director of Manufacturing Engineering to lead and drive the strategic development, execution, and continuous improvement of manufacturing processes across the organization. This leader will oversee engineering teams across diverse product lines, ensuring efficient production, scalability, and quality while supporting new product introductions, automation initiatives, and operational excellence. The role also emphasizes scaling production in a fast-paced environment, advancing digital manufacturing tools, and supporting the development of classified systems that meet stringent operational and security requirements.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As the Director of Manufacturing Engineering, your role encompasses the strategic oversight and tactical management of manufacturing engineering and systems to support both the development of new products and the scaling of high-volume production at Arsenal. You are charged with ensuring rigorous manufacturing processes are in place, resulting in the consistent delivery of superior quality products to our customers. Your leadership will also guarantee the fulfillment of manufacturing's capacity commitments while driving advancements in digital tools and methodologies to improve design, analysis, and execution. This role demands an innovative and adaptable approach to solving complex manufacturing challenges in a highly dynamic environment.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Strategic Leadership
  • Develop and implement a long-term manufacturing engineering strategy aligned with company goals.
  • Drive innovation in manufacturing processes, automation, and technology adoption to enhance efficiency and scalability for both development and high-volume production.
  • Define KPIs, measure performance, and ensure alignment with operational and business objectives.
  • Architect the requirements and roadmaps for next-generation digital manufacturing tools to improve manufacturing design, analysis, and production efficiency.
  • Build systems and processes to support the manufacturing design and production of classified products in compliance with security and regulatory requirements.
Operational Excellence
  • Oversee the optimization of manufacturing methods, tooling, and processes to improve quality, reduce costs, and increase throughput.
  • Lead initiatives in lean manufacturing to reduce waste and improve production attainment and efficiency.
  • Develop scalable processes to support rapid growth and adapt to a highly dynamic production environment.
  • Ensure all manufacturing practices meet safety, quality, and regulatory compliance standards, including classified product handling.
  • Manage manufacturing plans across the product portfolio to adapt to fluctuations in capacity and demand, ensuring seamless production continuity and resource optimization.
Team Development
  • Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing team of manufacturing engineers and technical staff.
  • Foster cross-functional collaboration across Production, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product Development teams.
  • Promote a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
New Product Introduction (NPI)
  • Partner with R&D and product development teams to ensure seamless transition of new products from design to production.
  • Drive Design for Manufacturability (DfM) and Design for Assembly (DfA) principles during product development, ensuring smooth scaling into production.
  • Develop capacity plans and provide oversight for factory scoping, setup, and ramp-up to support production scaling and operational readiness.
Resource Planning
    • Manage budgets, resources, and staffing for the manufacturing engineering department.
    • Forecast future operational and headcount needs to support scaling efforts for high-growth production environments.
    • Plan for rapid response to large-scale program demands, including classified systems, with short ramp-up times.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Electrical Engineering (or related field).
  • 10+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, with 5+ years in a leadership role.
  • Proven track record of scaling manufacturing operations in highly dynamic and fast-paced environments.
  • Expertise in lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and process optimization.
  • Strong knowledge of automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing technologies.
  • Experience in developing, implementing, and utilizing digital manufacturing tools for design and analysis.
  • Familiarity with manufacturing processes for classified systems, including security and compliance considerations.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and project management skills.
  • Experience in managing New Product Introduction (NPI) and scaling production for high-growth environments.
  • Familiar with Product Life Cycle (PLM) systems, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), and Test Execution Systems (TES).
  • Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

US Salary Range
$220,000-$292,000 USD
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:
Benefits
At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you're supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.
Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams
Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers. These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information.
To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind:
  • No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates.
  • Please always verify communications:
    • Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @anduril.com address.
    • Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to [email protected].
  • Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @anduril.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links.
  • What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to [email protected]. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.

Data Privacy
To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.
By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.

What Anduril employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


Anduril Industries logo

About Anduril Industries

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Anduril Industries is a trailblazer in the technology industry based in Costa Mesa, CA, US. Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus VR, the company focuses on developing innovative technology to equip and empower those in the defense sector. Its primary products include cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI software that assist in combating threats to national and global security. The mission of Anduril Industries is to integrate technology and defense by building transformative, scalable solutions that ensure a safer world.

Industry

Guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Costa Mesa, CA, US

Year founded

2017

Social media