Position Overview As our Production Manager, you will lead high-volume CNC machining, parts cleaning, and assembly operations within a greenfield startup facility designed to produce 50,000 precision machines per year. Reporting directly to the CEO/COO, you will play a critical leadership role in building the production system from the ground up — establishing the workforce, defining operating rhythms, commissioning the equipment, and driving the facility from initial startup to full-rate production. You will hold full operational ownership for daily manufacturing output, quality, cost, safety, and reliability performance while serving as the primary production voice to executive leadership. This role is ideal for a driven manufacturing leader who thrives in fast-paced, highly technical, and ambiguous startup environments.
Location
On-site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
- Your Day to Day as a Production Manager
- Lead facility commissioning including equipment installation, tooling readiness, process qualification, and production verification across CNC machining, cleaning, and assembly operations.
- Develop a complete manufacturing ramp plan with milestones, resources, risk mitigation, and execution strategies aligned to launch timelines.
- Establish standard operating procedures, work instructions, control plans, and quality systems prior to first production.
- Build and operate the 2-shift production schedule and coordinate 3-shift maintenance operations to maximize equipment availability.
- Stand up ERP/MES systems and shop-floor data infrastructure to support real-time production visibility.
- Own daily, weekly, and monthly manufacturing output performance against the 50,000 units/year plan.
- Oversee CNC machining, parts cleaning, and assembly departments to ensure balanced capacity and smooth material flow.
- Establish and review KPIs including OEE, throughput, scrap/rework, cycle time, and first-pass yield.
- Drive capacity planning, production scheduling, and material coordination with Supply Chain to meet build requirements.
- Champion 5S, visual management, standardized work, and a highly disciplined operational culture.
- Direct maintenance operations, ensuring PM compliance, uptime performance, MTTR, and MTBF targets are achieved.
- Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related technical field.
- Minimum 12–15 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
- Demonstrated success launching a new manufacturing facility or production line from startup through full-rate production.
- Hands-on expertise with CNC machining environments — turning, milling, multi-axis machining, tooling, fixturing, and machine capability.
- Experience leading parts cleaning operations (aqueous, solvent, ultrasonic) and associated waste-handling requirements.
- Background managing high-volume mechanical or electromechanical assembly operations (≥25,000 units/year).
- Experience managing preventive/predictive maintenance organizations.
Must be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain and maintain a DOE security clearance.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in a manufacturing startup or rapid-scaling environment.
- Background in aerospace, defense, automotive, medical devices, or advanced industrial machinery.
- Experience implementing ERP/MES systems such as SAP, Oracle, Epicor, Plex, or equivalent.
- Experience with capital equipment procurement, process validation, and facility layout planning.
- Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt certification.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary and benefits package.
- Flexible schedules and paid time off (as applicable for leadership roles).
- Professional development, mentorship, and continuing education support.
- A collaborative, inclusive workplace that values diverse perspectives.
- Opportunities to directly support high-impact national security and nuclear manufacturing missions.
- Continuous learning and long-term career advancement opportunities across BWXT.
Pay: $131,480 - $207,000
The base salary range for this position in Tennessee (US-TN) at the start of employment is expected to be between $131,480 and $207,000 per year. However, the base salary offered is based on local job market factors, and may vary further depending on factors specific to the selected job candidate, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to these considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, such as an annual cash incentive in addition to a full range of medical, retirement, and/or other benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided at such time the selected job candidate receives an offer of employment. If hired, the selected job candidate will be employed 'at-will,’ unless employed at a location and in a position subject to a collective bargaining agreement. The company further reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment, compensation or benefit program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and other market factors.
As a federal government contractor, BWX Technologies, Inc. and any subsidiaries, affiliates and related entities (“BWXT” or the “Company”) complies with all federal, state, and local laws and customer requirements regarding health and safety protocols. As such, all BWXT new hires will be required to adhere to applicable Company health and safety requirements within the workplace as a condition of employment.
All candidates must be U.S. citizens. Selected applicants are required to successfully complete a pre-employment check and drug screening. In addition, the position may require the ability to obtain and maintain applicable federal eligibility requirements for access to classified/sensitive information or matter which involves an extensive criminal and financial background investigation, drug test, previous employment, and reference verifications.
BWXT is committed to the concept of Equal Employment Opportunity. We have established procedures to ensure that all personnel actions such as recruitment, compensation, career development, benefits, company-sponsored training and social recreational programs are administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, protected veteran or other protected status.
BWX Technologies, Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries (BWXT) is not responsible for and does not accept any liability for fees or other costs associated with resumes or candidates presented by recruiters or employment agencies, unless a binding, written recruitment agreement between BWXT and the recruiter or agency exists prior to the presentation of candidates or resumes to BWXT and includes the specific services, job openings, and fees to be paid (“Agreement”). BWXT may consider any candidate for whom a recruiter or agency has submitted an unsolicited resume and explicitly reserves the right to hire such candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency unless an Agreement is in place prior to presentation and such Agreement explicitly encompasses the job opening for which such fees or costs are sought. An email, verbal or other informal contact with any person within BWXT will not create a binding agreement. Agencies or recruiters without an Agreement are directed not to contact any hiring managers of BWXT with recruiting inquiries or resumes. Recruiters and agencies interested in partnering with BWXT may contact BWXT’s Talent Acquisition team at talent_acquisition@bwxt.com.
