Deputy Director of Manufacturing

Full Job Description

Company Overview ACS (Allen Control Systems) is a defense technology company building precision robotic systems for the United States and its allies. Founded by two former U.S. Navy electrical engineers with deep experience in robotics and software, ACS brings together AI, computer vision, precision motion, and advanced hardware to solve complex defense challenges across land, air, and maritime environments.

Our flagship product, Bullfrog, is an autonomous precision weapon system that transforms existing weapons into highly accurate counter-drone systems — giving warfighters a scalable, cost-effective response to one of the fastest-growing threats on the modern battlefield. Bullfrog is deployed with U.S. forces, and ACS works with organizations throughout the U.S. military and national security community.

Following a $200 million Series B at a $2.2 billion valuation, ACS is rapidly expanding manufacturing, accelerating Bullfrog deployments, and developing the next generation of autonomous battlefield systems. This is an opportunity to join a proven, fast-moving team and help scale technology with direct, real-world impact on national security.

ACS is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with additional operations in Alexandria, Virginia; Mountain View, California; and Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, visit allencontrolsystems.com.

Position Overview:

The Deputy Director of Manufacturing serves as the operational leader responsible for executing daily manufacturing operations while helping scale ACS into a world-class production organization. Reporting to the VP of Manufacturing, this role ensures production goals, quality standards, safety initiatives, and operational excellence objectives are consistently achieved.

The ideal candidate is an experienced manufacturing leader who thrives in fast-paced, high-growth environments and enjoys building teams, developing leaders, improving processes, and solving complex operational challenges.

This position will initially be based in our Austin facility before transitioning to our new manufacturing campus in Pflugerville, TX during Q3/Q4 2026.

What You'll Do:

Manufacturing Operations Leadership

• Help lead day-to-day manufacturing operations across multiple production areas

• Drive production performance to meet delivery, quality, cost, and safety objectives

• Partner with Production Managers and Supervisors to optimize throughput and resource utilization

• Remove operational bottlenecks and rapidly resolve production issues

• Ensure manufacturing schedules are executed while maintaining flexibility for changing priorities

Operational Excellence

• Develop scalable manufacturing systems, standard work, and visual management processes

• Drive Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives throughout operations

• Establish and monitor KPIs including:

• Safety

• Quality

• On-Time Delivery

• Throughput

• Labor Efficiency

• Inventory Accuracy

• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

• Lead root cause investigations and implement corrective actions

Team Leadership & Development

• Build, coach, and mentor Manufacturing Managers, Supervisors, and production leaders

• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement

• Develop succession plans and leadership development programs

• Partner with Recruiting and HR to support workforce planning and hiring efforts

• Promote employee engagement while maintaining high performance standards

Production Scaling

• Support the transition from low-rate to full-rate production

• Develop capacity planning strategies aligned with company growth

• Improve production flow, line balancing, and manufacturing efficiency

• Partner with Engineering to ensure manufacturability of new products

• Lead production readiness activities for new product introductions (NPI)

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Collaborate closely with Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Facilities, Finance, and Program Management

• Ensure material availability aligns with production schedules

• Support design reviews with Design for Manufacturing (DFM) feedback

• Drive cross-functional problem solving to improve manufacturing performance

Safety & Compliance

• Champion a proactive safety culture across manufacturing operations

• Ensure compliance with OSHA and company safety standards

• Support implementation of EHS initiatives

• Maintain compliance with quality management systems and regulatory requirements

Site Expansion

• Support operational planning for the transition into ACS's new Pflugerville manufacturing facility

• Assist with facility startup activities including equipment moves, workflow optimization, staffing, and production ramp

• Help establish scalable manufacturing systems to support future company growth

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or related field

• 10+ years of manufacturing leadership experience

• 5+ years leading managers and multiple manufacturing departments

• Experience scaling manufacturing operations in a high-growth environment

• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles

• Experience with ERP/MRP systems

• Proven success leading cross-functional teams

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Excellent communication and leadership abilities

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in defense, aerospace, robotics, automotive, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments

• Experience supporting new facility launches or manufacturing expansions

• Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt)

• Experience with New Product Introduction (NPI)

• Familiarity with ISO 9001 and/or AS9100 quality systems

• Experience working with DoD or government programs

Success in This Role

Within your first year, you will:

• Improve manufacturing throughput while maintaining exceptional quality

• Help successfully transition operations into our new Pflugerville facility

• Build a high-performing manufacturing leadership team

• Establish scalable production processes that support rapid company growth

• Improve key operational metrics across safety, quality, delivery, and efficiency

• Become a trusted operational partner to executive leadership

What We Offer

• Competitive salary

• ACS Equity Package

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance

• Paid Time Off

Allen Control Systems is an Equal Opportunity Employer, providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Allen Control Systems prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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