Operations Manager Startup Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Operations Manager- Charlottesville, VA 

Who We Are 

Laser Thermal is pioneering the future of thermal metrology. We design and build advanced instruments that deliver fast, accurate thermal property measurements for the most demanding materials challenges, across semiconductors, aerospace, energy, and beyond.  

Born from academic research and built for real-world impact, we combine optical innovation with scalable engineering to empower R&D teams and production environments alike. Our team thrives on hands-on problem-solving, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and a shared belief that better data drives better design.  

If you're passionate about building tools that make a measurable difference, you’ll find a home here. 

Visit our website to learn more about our solutions. 
 

Your role and responsibilities 

Laser Thermal is seeking an Operations Manager to lead and scale our day-to-day operations across manufacturing, supply chain, and inventory management. This role will be responsible for ensuring efficient production workflows, maintaining inventory accuracy, and building the operational infrastructure needed to support company growth. 

Reporting to company leadership and working closely with engineering, manufacturing, and administrative teams, this person will drive operational excellence across all product lines. The Operations Manager will play a critical role in aligning production schedules, procurement, and resource planning to meet customer and business needs. 

This is a highly cross-functional role requiring both strategic thinking and hands-on execution in a dynamic startup environment. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage daily manufacturing operations, ensuring alignment with production timelines and quality standards 
• Develop and maintain production schedules across all product lines 

• Oversee inventory management, including material planning, tracking, and reconciliation 

• Manage procurement processes, vendor relationships, and supply chain logistics 

• Implement and optimize ERP/MRP systems for production planning and inventory control 

• Coordinate cross-functional efforts between engineering, manufacturing, and administrative teams 

• Identify and implement process improvements to increase efficiency, scalability, and quality 

• Establish and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and operational documentation 

• Monitor key performance metrics and drive continuous improvement initiatives 

• Support hiring, onboarding, and development of manufacturing and operations personnel 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in operations, manufacturing, supply chain, or a related field 

• 5+ years of experience in operations, manufacturing, or supply chain management 

• Experience managing production workflows, inventory systems, and procurement processes 

• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., Odoo, NetSuite) 

• Strong organizational and project management skills 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills 

• Ability to work cross-functionally in a fast-paced, hands-on environment 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a startup or high-growth manufacturing environment 

• Background in hardware, electronics, or optomechanical systems  

• Experience scaling manufacturing operations or building processes from the ground up 

• Familiarity with quality management systems and production planning tools 

• Leadership experience managing or mentoring teams 

What we can offer you 

• Build something that has never been done before 

• Grow your career as part of a dynamic startup 

• Define your professional goals and be supported in reaching them 

• Learn about cutting-edge optical metrology technologies 

• Facilitate a supportive, collaborative, and science-loving culture 

Laser Thermal Benefits

• Health care plan (medical, dental, and vision) with FSA and HSA options 

• Retirement plan with company contribution, 401(k) 

• Basic life Insurance 

• Long-term Disability 

• Company stock option plan 

• Paid time off (vacation, sick) 

• 13 paid holidays 

• Parental leave 

• Health and wellness subsidy 

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. 

Laser Thermal Analysis, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, and or local laws. 

This policy applies to all employment practices including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

As a federal contractor, Laser Thermal Analysis, Inc. is required to participate in the federal government's E-Verify program. The E-Verify process is completed in conjunction with a new hire's completion of the Form I-9 in order to confirm identity and work authorization in the United States.