Lead Industrial Operations Engineer - Front Loading NPI

Job Title: Lead, Manufacturing Engineer Job Code: 45698 Job Location: Londonderry, NH Job Schedule: 9/80: Employees work 9 out of every 14 days – totaling 80 hours worked – and have every other Friday off

Job Description:

We believe manufacturing is important not only for what it makes, but for what it makes possible for the future. The L3Harris Integrated Vision Solutions (IVS) sector manufacturing engineering team is responsible for providing our manufacturing operations with the vision, technology, and expertise they need through the entire production process.

L3Harris IVS is seeking an Industrial Operations Engineer - Front Loading NPI to serve as the critical bridge between Product Development and Manufacturing Operations throughout the entire NPI stage-gate process, from pre-award phase through production hand-off. This role will lead the implementation of Front Loading methodologies to ensure manufacturability, quality, and cost targets are achieved while maintaining schedule commitments across all NPI stage-gates.

The Industrial Operations Engineer (IOE) will work cross-functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Program Management, Business Development, and Manufacturing Engineering teams to drive early operational readiness assessments, establish production processes, and enable smooth product transitions from bid phase through production hand-off.

Essential Functions:

Pre-Award Phase

Attend technical baseline reviews and understand the scope for the Front Loading Framework

Understand current operational capabilities, and those required to win the bid successfully using the capability model

Support red team reviews and ensure cost estimates reflect operations scope and deliverables

Identify facilities, equipment, safety and staffing requirements from capability model. Work with Operations and Program Management to document plans

Work with identified functional PoCs on the program (Engineering, Program Management, Business Development, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain) to plan and initiate Front Loading activities for the program

Identify operations-specific technology and process improvement special projects required to meet cost, schedule and margin in the bid

Conduct Front Loading tailoring assessment to determine amount of hours required to deploy Front Loading and incorporate into the Program Transition Window (PTW)

Develop detailed Design to Cost targets and agree targets with Program Management Team

Award to Production Start Phase

Organize and facilitate Challenges, Risks and Opportunities (CRO) Workshops to identify activities to address poor yields, common failure modes, supply chain risks/opportunities, high cost, and long touch/lead times

Finalize manufacturing, test and production plans. Lead operational aspects of gate reviews

Produce Project Charters for each activity that describes effort needed and benefits to the program. Present to Program Leadership Team

Contribute manufacturing input into any Make/Buy decisions using the capability model

Ensure that progress monitoring and tracking of the Frontloading Toolset applications is conducted in the monthly Program reviews

Review program material delivery schedule and escalate areas of concern to program management. Monitor schedule throughout effort for material delivery impacts

Work with operations functional leadership to ensure key toolset roles are defined and filled

Work with manufacturing to ensure a robust 3P event is conducted to design the floor layout and construct Standard Work combination Sheets

Oversee facility setup, production layouts and specific equipment installations/configurations

Conduct Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) reviews, providing feedback to engineering teams on manufacturability

Lead cross-functional NPI teams through stage-gate reviews and readiness assessments

Develop manufacturing cost models and support cost reduction activities

Production to Delivery Phase

Ensure Front Loading assessments are completed at all required gates

Oversee Product Launch in line with Launch Targets

Conduct final end item data package review, perform lessons-learned brief and log all required command media and program document updates

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree and minimum 9 years prior related experience. Graduate Degree with a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience

Experience leading product transitions from bid/proposal phase through production hand-off

Experience with Front Loading methodologies and NPI stage-gate based product transition

Experience facilitating cross-functional workshops (CRO, 3P events, Design to Cost sessions)

Experience with setting up manufacturing processes including assembly, test, and integration

Experience developing Project Charters and presenting business cases to leadership

Preferred Additional Skills:

Experience in aerospace and defense manufacturing environment with bid/proposal support

Ability to develop and execute capability models and operational readiness assessments

Six Sigma Green Belt certification or higher

Understanding of Lean Manufacturing (3P, Standard Work, Value Stream Mapping)

Knowledge of Design to Cost methodologies

Experience with capability modeling and operational readiness assessments

Experience with ERP and PLM systems

Experience with PFMEA, Control Plans, and APQP methodologies

Experience with facility layout design and equipment installation planning

PMP certification is a plus but not a requirement

Ability to influence without direct authority across multiple functional organizations

Strong facilitation skills for cross-functional workshops and gate reviews

Understanding of DFx (Manufacturing, Assembly, Test, Automation) principles

Strong project management skills with ability to manage multiple concurrent programs across the NPI lifecycle phases

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