Hadrian is building autonomous factories that help aerospace and defense companies manufacture rockets, satellites, jets, and ships up to 10x faster and up to 2x cheaper. By combining advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we are reinventing how America produces its most critical parts.
We’re accelerating our mission with the launch of Factory 3 in Mesa, Arizona, a 290,000-square-foot facility creating 350 new jobs. We are expanding rapidly to support thousands of future hires, launching Hadrian Maritime to expand into naval production, and introducing a Factory-as-a-Service model that delivers complete systems instead of individual parts.
Hadrian is backed by leading investors including T. Rowe Price, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, and Andreessen Horowitz, our fast-growing team is united around reindustrializing American manufacturing for the 21st century and beyond.
About this role:
DFM (Design for Manufacturability) is the front of Hadrian's manufacturing system: the function that turns a customer RFQ into a manufacturability, cost, and risk decision. Every part passes through it before it reaches the floor, and how fast and how well that work moves directly determines how much new business Hadrian can take on.
We are seeking a Lead Manufacturing Engineer to own the operational engine of that function. You will lead a growing team of manufacturing engineers who assess and quote parts at high volume, and you will be accountable for how quickly and how reliably that work moves. This is an operations-and-people leadership role first. You will treat the quoting process as a production system: design the workflow, run the queues, measure throughput at every step, find and remove the bottlenecks, and coach a team through demanding, high-volume decision work while keeping them engaged and growing.
This is one of two Manufacturing Engineering Lead roles in DFM. You and a peer Lead will divide the team and its work between you and run the function as one system, partnering closely to balance load and hold common standards. How that division lands (by functional focus, by contract type, or by customer segment) will be shaped as the team scales, so you will help define your own scope as much as inherit it.
You will work across the company, partnering with Sales on intake and commitments, with Supply Chain and Applications Engineering on the inputs that gate quoting, and with the software teams that build the tools your team runs on. As Hadrian scales from two factories toward five-plus and expands into new manufacturing domains, you will build the operational structure that lets this function grow without losing speed or control.
Key responsibilities:
Workflow & Throughput
Own the daily quoting workflow end to end: intake, triage, queues, and work-in-process
Treat the process as a production system: instrument it, see where work hangs up, and remove the bottlenecks
Design and maintain the operational mechanics (WIP limits, prioritization, intake metering) that keep throughput high and predictable
Drive measurable improvement in quoting speed and reliability as volume grows
Performance Measurement & Operating Cadence
Build and run the team's operating cadence: a daily and weekly read on whether the team is on track
Define and maintain throughput and performance metrics at the process-step level
Report performance clearly upward, and use it to drive decisions rather than just describe status
Make the state of the function visible to leadership and to partner teams
Team Leadership & Development
Lead, coach, and develop a team of manufacturing engineers
Keep a team doing high-volume, repetitive decision work engaged, challenged, and growing
Build the bench: onboard and ramp new engineers and develop the skills the function needs as it scales
Set clear expectations and hold the team to them, so the team performs without constant intervention
Cross-Functional Coordination
Own the working relationship with Sales on intake, capacity, and commitments
Coordinate with Supply Chain, Applications Engineering, and other partners on the inputs that gate quoting
Partner with software and product teams to improve the tooling the workflow depends on
Manage stakeholders so partner teams trust the function's output and its cadence
Continuous Improvement
Identify and drive operational improvements to how the function works
Build repeatable processes and documentation that let the team run consistently and scale
Contribute to how work is routed, prioritized, and escalated
Qualifications:
3+ years in manufacturing engineering, operations, or a closely related technical field
Working knowledge of CNC machining and precision manufacturing, enough to lead engineers making manufacturability and cost decisions
Experience leading people or directing the work of others (as a manager, team lead, or project/process owner)
A track record of improving how work gets done: making a workflow, process, or operation measurably faster or more reliable
Strong cross-functional communication and comfort operating in ambiguity
Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field, or equivalent hands-on manufacturing experience
Preferred Qualifications
A proven track record building and developing a team: hiring, coaching, and managing performance at scale
Experience managing high-volume or queue-based work and the metrics that govern it
Experience in estimating, quoting, cost engineering, or a similar decision-at-throughput function
Background running operations as a workflow (process engineering, production control, program or throughput management, or similar)
A track record of keeping teams motivated through repetitive or transactional work
Experience in high-growth or scaling manufacturing environments
Familiarity with data tools and building performance visibility (dashboards, reporting, metrics systems)
Experience partnering with software or automation teams as an internal customer
Compensation
For this role, the target salary range is $126,000 - $176,000 (actual range may vary based on experience and performance).
This is the lowest to highest salary we reasonably and in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee's pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.
Benefits for Full-time Employees
Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees
401k
Relocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need.
Flexible vacation policy
Equity
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Hadrian Is An Equal Opportunity Employer
It is the Company’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Company does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race inclusive of traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin (including, in California, possession of a drivers license), ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, height or weight, medical condition, family care status, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, exercise of reproductive rights, any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws, or any combination of the above characteristics. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.