Senior Manufacturing Engineering Manager | Aerospace & Autonomous Systems
At WingXpand®
Locations:
Chicago (Schaumburg), IL
Type:
Full-time | Open 6/29/26 | Close 7/13/26
About WingXpand
WingXpand is Expanding What’s Possible™ with Autonomous Systems, building long-endurance, backpackable smart plane drones and robotics systems that support defense, public safety, disaster response, and commercial missions. Our platforms operate across air, ground, and maritime domains, integrating autonomy, AI-powered sensing, edge computing, and networked systems to deliver real-world intelligence and threat detection. We design, build, and deploy complete systems — hardware, software, and data — and we move fast. As WingXpand scales, we are seeking high performers to grow with our team.
Position Description
WingXpand is scaling production of the next generation of autonomous systems. We are seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineering Manager to build the factory, processes, and team behind our aircraft and robotic platforms. This is a hands on leadership role for someone who thrives on building efficient manufacturing systems, solving difficult production challenges, and leading teams that execute at an exceptional level. You will own manufacturing operations from prototype through production, developing scalable processes that transform engineering designs into mission ready products. You will work closely with engineering, supply chain, quality, and operations to improve throughput, eliminate waste, increase reliability, and continuously raise the bar for manufacturing excellence. This is a role for builders who lead from the floor, embrace ownership, move with urgency, and are energized by solving hard problems. If you want to help build one of the most advanced autonomous manufacturing operations in the industry alongside other high performers, we want to meet you.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead manufacturing engineering and day to day production operations
- Develop scalable manufacturing processes that improve throughput, quality, and efficiency
- Build, mentor, and lead a high performing production team
- Partner with engineering to transition new products from prototype into production
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives across manufacturing, tooling, workflows, and assembly
- Develop work instructions, manufacturing documentation, and standardized production processes
- Identify bottlenecks and rapidly implement practical solutions
- Collaborate with supply chain to ensure materials are available to meet production schedules
- Track manufacturing metrics and drive data informed operational improvements
- Ensure products are built safely, consistently, and to the highest quality standards
- Help build the manufacturing organization, systems, and culture that will support WingXpand's long term growth
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
- 5 to 10+ years of experience leading manufacturing engineering or production operations in aerospace, robotics, electronics, or advanced manufacturing
- Experience scaling products from prototype through production
- Strong understanding of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, production planning, quality systems, and process development
- Experience leading technical teams in a fast paced manufacturing environment
- Excellent problem solving, organizational, and leadership skills
- Bias for action with a strong sense of ownership and accountability
Additional qualifications:
- Experience implementing or operating within AS9100D Quality Management Systems.
- Experience with ISO 9001 quality systems and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Experience with configuration management and document control in regulated manufacturing environments.
- Experience leading internal quality audits and preparing organizations for third-party certification audits.
- Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, and Value Stream Mapping.
- Experience supporting DoD or aerospace manufacturing programs with strict quality and traceability requirements, including DoW manufacturing readiness audits
- Experience manufacturing UAV, aerospace, robotics, or electromechanical products
- Experience with composite manufacturing and lightweight structures
- Experience with ERP, MRP, or MES systems
- Experience with design for manufacturability and new product introduction
- Experience implementing lean manufacturing or Six Sigma methodologies
- Experience working in a startup or other rapidly scaling manufacturing environment
What Else You Need to Know
To conform to U.S. Government aerospace technology export regulations, applicant must be a 'U.S. Person' (U.S. Citizen or a Permanent Resident/Green Card Holder).
If you are a self-motivated, results-driven individual with a passion for innovation and technology, we want to hear from you!
