Manager, Prototype & New Product Launch

What you'll do

• Lead day-to-day execution of prototype, integration, and pre-production build activities, ensuring schedule, quality, and program objectives are achieved.
• Serve as the primary build coordinator across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and program management teams.
• Drive issue identification, escalation, and resolution during prototype and NPI builds, ensuring blockers are quickly addressed and closed.
• Facilitate daily build reviews, action item tracking, and cross-functional communication to maintain alignment across stakeholders.
• Monitor build progress, material availability, engineering changes, and production readiness activities to keep development schedules on track.
• Partner with engineering teams to support build-test-learn cycles, providing feedback on manufacturability, assembly challenges, and process improvements.
• Coordinate implementation of engineering changes, non-conformance resolutions, and corrective actions throughout development builds.
• Maintain build status reporting, risk tracking, and executive-level communication regarding schedule impacts, issues, and mitigation plans.
• Continuously improve prototype build processes, issue management systems, and cross-functional execution frameworks.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, automotive, robotics, or advanced manufacturing environments.
• Experience managing prototype builds, NPI programs, integration activities, or complex hardware development efforts.
• Demonstrated ability to drive cross-functional issue resolution in fast-paced development environments.
• Strong organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Experience working closely with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain teams.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience supporting aerospace, UAV, defense, or highly regulated manufacturing programs.
• Familiarity with product development lifecycles, engineering change management, and manufacturing readiness processes.
• Experience using project management, issue tracking, and production planning tools.
• PMP certification or equivalent program management training.
• Previous experience supporting new product introduction (NPI), prototype development, or production launch activities.