Director of Production
US$190,000 – US$290,000 / yr base salary
Posted 14 May 2026
Advertised as “Director of Production (R4782)”
BranchFactor Summary
The original posting with the fluff stripped out
- Level
- R4782
- Expected experience
- 10+ yrs
- Management level
- People management
- Employment
- On-Site
- Contract
- Full-time
| Base salary | US$190,000 – US$290,000 / yr |
|---|
Field of studyEngineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain (or related)
Study levelBachelor's
Study levelMaster's
Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Job Description:
Do you thrive at the intersection of high-stakes execution and advanced technology? Shield AI is seeking a Director of Production to lead our U.S.-based manufacturing operations and help scale the future of autonomous defense systems. You’ll drive execution across factory floor operations, partner cross-functionally with quality, engineering and supply chain teams, and ensure our production systems are ready for what’s next.
We're looking for a bold, hands-on leader who can inspire teams, architect production systems, and scale operations with intensity, precision, and a clear mission in mind.
What you'll do:
- Architect and execute forward-looking production plans that balance scale, agility, and quality—all while meeting demanding cost and delivery goals.
- Drive aircraft production capabilities, implementing systems, processes, and staffing to support rapid growth.
- Lead high-performance teams across production operations, driving excellence through clear expectations, coaching, and accountability.
- Collaborate deeply with quality, engineering, supply chain, and customer operations to integrate design, sourcing, and production workflows.
- Champion continuous improvement across every dimension of production: throughput, takt, quality, and cost.
- Embed data-driven decision-making into daily operations using KPI dashboards, metrics reviews, and operational cadences.
- Drive the adoption of automation, digitization, and advanced manufacturing methods to future-proof our operations.
- Serve as a trusted voice to executive leadership—reporting insights, flagging risks, and translating complexity into action.