Production Engineering Manager

The Production Engineering Manager leads the development of the production engineering function required to stand up and scale shipyard manufacturing operations. This role is responsible for defining the build strategy, developing production processes, and ensuring that vessel designs are compatible with facility capabilities.

The Production Engineering Manager serves as the technical bridge between engineering, manufacturing, and facilities, translating ship designs into efficient and executable production plans. This includes defining block construction strategy, heavy lift and transport engineering, and establishing the production rules that govern how vessels are built within the shipyard.

A critical component of the role is developing and maintaining the Facilities Production Manual, which provides engineering teams with the design constraints and manufacturing rules required to ensure that vessel designs can be efficiently produced within Port Alpha’s facilities.

Production Build Strategy

• Define and maintain the shipyard’s production build strategy, including panelization, block construction, and erection sequencing.
• Develop block breakdown structures and manufacturing strategies aligned with facility capabilities.
• Ensure vessel designs align with yard constraints such as crane capacities, transportation limits, and assembly workflows.

Heavy Lift & Transport Engineering

• Develop engineering strategies for lifting, transporting, and erecting ship blocks and major modules.
• Define lift plans, rigging concepts, and transport methods for large assemblies.
• Coordinate with heavy lift equipment operators and infrastructure teams to validate lifting and movement strategies.

Production Process Development

• Develop standardized manufacturing processes for steel fabrication, block assembly, and erection.
• Establish production workflows, takt planning concepts, and throughput assumptions.
• Identify opportunities for automation and process optimization within shipyard operations.

Facilities Production Manual

• Lead development of the Facilities Production Manual, establishing design rules for engineering teams.
• Define constraints including maximum block weights, dimensions, lifting interfaces, transport paths, and production tolerances.
• Ensure naval architects and vessel design teams incorporate facility manufacturing requirements early in the design process.

Manufacturing Integration

• Work closely with ship design teams to ensure production feasibility.
• Translate vessel design into manufacturing work packages and build sequences.
• Support development of digital models and production simulations.

Startup & Industrialization

• Support the startup of new shipyard facilities and manufacturing systems.
• Validate production processes during early vessel builds.
• Capture lessons learned and refine production engineering standards.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with engineering, facilities, automation, and operations teams to align production systems.
• Provide production engineering input to equipment selection and facility design.
• Support strategic planning for future production capacity expansion.

What Success Looks Like

• Vessel designs consistently align with shipyard manufacturing capabilities.
• Block construction and erection sequences are clearly defined and executable.
• Production processes are standardized and scalable.
• Engineering teams utilize the Facilities Production Manual as a core design reference.
• The shipyard achieves predictable production flow during early vessel builds.

Required

• 8+ years experience in shipbuilding, heavy manufacturing, or large-scale industrial production engineering.
• Strong experience developing build strategies for large fabricated structures.
• Experience with heavy lift engineering, rigging, or large assembly operations.
• Demonstrated ability to translate product design into manufacturing processes.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration with engineering and operations teams.

Preferred

• Ship Structural Design Experience experience.
• Familiarity with panel line production and modular ship construction.
• Experience with digital production planning or simulation tools.
• Background in lean manufacturing or industrial system design.

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer

Occasional standing and walking within the office

Manual dexterity to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment

Visual acuity to read screens, documents, and reports

Occasional reaching, bending, or stooping to access file drawers, cabinets, or office supplies

Lifting and carrying items up to 20 pounds occasionally (e.g., office supplies, packages)