Senior Supplier Development and Manufacturing Readiness Engineer

The posting, as ACT1 Federal wrote it

Position: Senior Supplier Development and Manufacturing Readiness Engineer

Program: Transformation, Acceleration, and Supplier Capacity Team (TASC)

Category: Funded

Clearance: U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Top Secret security clearance are required. An active Secret or Top-Secret clearance are preferred but is not required to apply. Clearance sponsorship may be available for qualified candidates, subject to contract requirements and Government authorization. Any assignments before clearance approval will be limited to authorized unclassified duties.

Salary: $130,000 - $160,000

Position Overview

ACT1 Federal seeks a Senior Supplier Development and Manufacturing Readiness Engineer to support Department of the Navy production-acceleration initiatives across the defense industrial base, with particular emphasis on missile production and critical supplier capacity.

The engineer will conduct hands-on manufacturing assessments, identify constraints limiting conforming output, develop executable recovery plans, and support approved improvements through implementation and verification of sustained results.

We strongly encourage candidates with significant automotive supplier-development, manufacturing-engineering, program-launch, and production-ramp experience . The successful candidate will apply disciplined automotive practices to defense production while respecting program-specific engineering, safety, qualification, configuration-control, and quality requirements.

This position requires substantial experience working inside manufacturing plants and directly improving supplier performance. Candidates must demonstrate personal responsibility for successful launches, supplier recoveries, or sustained increases in production output.

Responsibilities

Supplier Assessment and Capacity Validation

• Assess suppliers’ ability to achieve required production rates, quality, delivery, cost, and readiness objectives.
• Evaluate manufacturing processes, equipment, tooling, labor, maintenance, material flow, inspection, testing, and lower-tier dependencies.
• Distinguish theoretical, rated, available, and demonstrated capacity using traceable production evidence.
• Analyze cycle times, changeovers, equipment availability, scrap, rework, first-pass yield, work in process, process capability, and schedule adherence.
• Identify binding constraints and determine whether proposed interventions will increase usable output at the required point in the production system.
• Validate capacity assumptions through production observation, data analysis, and appropriately authorized run-at-rate or capacity-demonstration activities.

Supplier Development and Recovery

• Deploy to critical suppliers experiencing production, quality, d

[…]
xperience.

• Experience recovering distressed suppliers or supporting multiple production launches under demanding schedules.
• Aerospace, defense, missile, propulsion, or other regulated manufacturing experience.
• Experience with several of the following:
• Precision machining, castings, and forgings.
• Stamping, metal forming, welding, and joining.
• Heat treatment and other special processes.
• Injection molding and composites.
• Electronics, printed circuit assemblies, and electrical harnesses.
• Motors, actuators, and electromechanical assemblies.
• Tooling, capital equipment, and complex mechanical assemblies.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, Certified Supplier Quality Professional, or comparable credential.
• Experience translating commercial manufacturing practices into defense program requirements.

Benefits

• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
• ACT1 Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Company Paid Life and AD&D Insurance
• Company Paid Short-Term Disability
• Voluntary Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• 401K with employer match
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Parental Leave
• Military Leave
• Education, Training & Professional Development
• Voluntary Accidental Injury/Critical Illness/Hospital Care
• Voluntary Pet Insurance, Legal Resources, and Identity Protection

Our people-first culture prioritizes the benefits of flexibility and collaboration, whether that happens in person or remotely.

• If this position is listed as remote or hybrid, you’ll periodically work from a ACT1 Federal or client site facility.
• If this position is listed as onsite, you’ll work with colleagues and clients in person, as needed for the specific role.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.