New

Director of Manufacturing

Novanta Corporation
United States, California, Irvine
Apr 07, 2026
Build a career powered by innovations that matter! At Novanta, our innovations power technology products that are transforming healthcare and advanced manufacturing-improving productivity, enhancing people's lives and redefining what's possible. We create for our global customers engineered components and sub-systems that deliver extreme precision and performance for a range of mission-critical applications-from minimally invasive surgery to robotics to 3D metal printing. Novanta is one global team with over 26 offices located in The Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Looking for a great place to work? You have found it with a culture that embraces teamwork, collaboration and empowerment. Come explore Novanta. Summary The Director of Manufacturing provides strategic and handson leadership for all manufacturing operations at the Irvine site, with full accountability for safety, quality, delivery, and cost. This role oversees assembly, machine shop, clean room operations, manufacturing engineering, and production planning, ensuring disciplined execution, operational excellence, and reliable performance in support of customer and business commitments. The Director drives continuous improvement through Lean principles, robust planning and capacity management, and datadriven decisionmaking, while fostering a highperformance culture focused on safety, engagement, and results. This position partners closely with Operations leadership and crossfunctional teams-including Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Finance-to support business growth, new product introductions, and scalable manufacturing operations. Primary Responsibilities Lead endtoend manufacturing operations for the Irvine site, including assembly, machine shop, clean room, manufacturing engineering, and production planning, with full accountability for safety, quality, delivery, and cost. Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement, embedding Lean principles, disciplined problemsolving, and KPIdriven execution to improve throughput, cycle time, yield, and cost performance. Ensure reliable production planning and capacity management, aligning labor, equipment, and resources to demand while supporting ontime delivery, inventory management, and customer commitments. Partner crossfunctionally with Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Finance, and business line leaders to support new product introductions, process robustness, and execution of business strategy. Build and lead a highperformance manufacturing organization, developing leaders and teams, establishing clear accountability, and fostering a culture of safety, engagement, and continuous improvement. Required Experience, Education, Skills, Training and Competencies Progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations, ideally within regulated, precision, medical device, life sciences, semiconductor, or cleanroom environments. Proven success leading multifunction manufacturing organizations, including production, manufacturing engineering, and production planning, with accountability for safety, quality, delivery, and cost. Demonstrated ability to drive operational excellence, including Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, disciplined problemsolving, and KPIdriven execution with measurable results. Strong operational and financial acumen, with the ability to translate business strategy into effective execution, capacity planning, and resource alignment. Effective leader and change agent, capable of influencing across functions and levels, developing highperforming teams, and fostering a culture of safety, engagement, and continuous improvement. Physical Requirements Ability to stand and walk in manufacturing and production areas. Ability to lift up to 25 lbs. Ability to wear required PPE and cleanroom gowning. Frequent movement between production, assembly, and operational areas. Travel Requirements Travel up to 25% to support business needs, crosssite collaboration, and enterprise initiatives. Compensation and Benefits The base pay for this position is $178,420 to $266,662 per year depending on the geographic market. This position provides an opportunity for competitive quarterly sales compensation based on an achievement to plan. Novanta supports all aspects of your life's needs. This position provides a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits to make your quality of life better. Novanta is proud to be an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action workplace. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, military and veteran status, disability, genetics, or any other category protected by federal law or Novanta policy. Please call +1 781-266-5700 if you need a disability accommodation for any part of the employment process.