Freelance Hydrogen Fuel Cell Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Title: Engineering Production Manager, Hydrogen Systems
Company: Heven AeroTech
Location: Winchester, Virginia
FLSA: Exempt
Reports To: VP of Hydrogen

About Our Company:
At Heven AeroTech (Heven), we don't just believe in the power of people-we build our success on it. As a recognized leader in hydrogen-powered drones, we've earned recognition for creating a workplace where innovation thrives, collaboration is second nature, and every employee feels valued. Our culture is anchored in trust and a shared commitment to excellence.
We believe great teams are built on individuals who are humble, hungry, and smart-those who put team success first, take initiative to continuously improve, and demonstrate strong interpersonal awareness. At Heven, your voice matters, your ideas are heard, and your contributions make a tangible impact as you grow through hands-on experience and collaboration across the team.
Role Summary:
As Engineering Production Manager for Hydrogen Systems, you will own initial and low-volume production and integration of Heven AeroTech's hydrogen fuel cell powertrains and hydrogen generation systems at our Winchester, Virginia facility. You will collaborate with fuel cell and hydrogen systems engineering and with production leads to translate maturing designs into repeatable, safe, and cost-effective build processes by translating engineering designs to the production workflows, tooling, and quality checkpoints needed to move from bench-built prototypes to consistent low-rate production, with an eye on scaling to larger production capabilities. You will lead the day-to-day production organization, including the Product Lifecycle Manager, Hydrogen, and other production staff, and will be accountable for building the roadmap, team and infrastructure that scales Heven AeroTech's hydrogen systems production from initial units to higher-volume manufacturing.
Essential Responsibilities:

• Stand up and manage initial and low-volume production and integration of hydrogen systems, from first builds through repeatable low-rate production, while creating a vision and path toward medium and high volume manufacturing.
• Partner with fuel cell and hydrogen systems engineering and production leads to translate maturing designs into defined, documented, and repeatable build processes, work instructions, and workflows.
• Lead and grow the production team, including hiring, training, and supervising build technicians, and managing the Product Lifecycle Manager for Hydrogen and other production staff.
• Build the production infrastructure - work cells, tooling, fixtures, test stations - needed to safely and efficiently assemble and test high-pressure hydrogen hardware and fuel cell systems for unmanned systems.
• Own production scheduling and throughput, balancing engineering builds, test articles, and customer deliverables against staffing and equipment capacity.
• Develop and track the roadmap to scale from initial/low-volume production to higher-rate manufacturing, including staffing plans, equipment investments, and process automation opportunities.
• Drive continuous improvement in yield, cycle time, and cost through structured production data collection and root-cause problem solving.
• Ensure production processes and facilities comply with applicable codes and standards, including NFPA 2, ASME, CGA, and relevant DOT/DOE regulations, and support hazard analyses (HAZOP, FMEA).
• Collaborate with quality, supply chain, and program management to ensure production plans align with delivery commitments and traceability.
• Own the safety culture on the production floor, ensuring safe handling of high-pressure and flammable gases and adherence to PPE and facility safety protocols.

Qualifications & Experience:
Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 15+ years of experience in production, manufacturing, or operations management, including direct experience standing up or scaling low-volume production of complex hardware.
• Demonstrated experience building production processes, work instructions, and workflows from early-stage or prototype designs.
• Experience hiring, training, and directly managing production technicians and/or engineers.
• Experience with high-pressure gas or fluid systems or other hazardous-material hardware assembly.
• Working knowledge of relevant pressure system codes and standards (ASME B31.3, CGA guidelines, or similar).
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to balance competing priorities across staffing, schedule, and delivery commitments.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to align engineering, production, and program stakeholders around a shared production plan.

Preferred:

• Background in UAV, aerospace, or defense hardware production.
• Knowledge of how to integrate hydrogen systems into UAVs and other military systems.
• Experience scaling a production organization at an early-stage or low-rate-initial-production (LRIP) hardware company, including standing up facilities and equipment.
• Familiarity with NFPA 2 and hydrogen-specific safety requirements for production and lab environments.
• Experience supporting hazard analyses (HAZOP, FMEA) for hydrogen or other hazardous-material systems.
• Familiarity with defense procurement and export control considerations (ITAR/EAR, MTCR) as they relate to production planning.
• Experience managing or coordinating with a product lifecycle management (PLM) or new product introduction (NPI) function.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work in both office and manufacturing/laboratory environments for extended periods throughout the workday.
• Ability to stand and walk on production floors for prolonged periods while supervising operations, supporting builds, and conducting process reviews.
• Ability to occasionally bend, kneel, crouch, climb ladders or stairs, and work in confined or restricted-access areas as needed to support equipment installation, inspections, or troubleshooting.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 35 pounds independently and occasionally up to 50 pounds with appropriate assistance or lifting equipment.
• Ability to use hands and fingers for handling tools, components, instrumentation, computers, and other equipment requiring fine motor skills.
• Ability to visually inspect mechanical assemblies, read technical drawings, monitor instrumentation, and distinguish color-coded indicators, labels, and wiring when required.
• Ability to safely wear required personal protective equipment (PPE), including safety glasses, hearing protection, protective footwear, gloves, and respiratory protection, as required by the work environment.
• Ability to work safely around high-pressure hydrogen systems, compressed gases, electrical equipment, and other industrial hazards while following all established safety procedures and protocols.
• Ability to occasionally work in environments with moderate noise levels, moving mechanical equipment, temperature variations, and other typical manufacturing conditions.
• Ability to travel occasionally (up to 15%) to supplier facilities, customer sites, testing locations, and other company locations as business needs require.

Benefits Overview:
Heven AeroTech offers a competitive benefits package designed to support the health, financial security, and overall well-being of our employees and their families. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement plans, paid time off/sick, and additional protections such as critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident coverage, and short- and long-term disability.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
Heven AeroTech is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.