Senior Manufacturing Operations Engineer

About The Role

Antora Energy is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Operations Engineer to serve as our first on-site operations presence at a supplier facility in Pennsylvania. The supplier operates high temperature furnaces that process material that is then integrated into Antora's thermal energy storage systems.

Because this program is new, you will build the operational foundation from the ground up: writing SOPs, defining the end-to-end material flow, establishing quality criteria & tracking, and implementing preventative maintenance schedules. Once production begins, you will own day-to-day execution — coordinating across the supplier's operators, maintenance crews, engineering, quality, EH&S, and logistics teams to ensure Antora's material moves safely, on spec, and on time.

This is a high-autonomy role. You will be Antora's eyes, ears, and decision-maker on site, while staying tightly connected to the broader Operations team at our San Jose headquarters.

What You'll Do

• Production Standup: Develop and implement SOPs, control plans, work instructions, and preventative maintenance schedules for all furnace operations — from receiving raw material through final pack-out and shipping
• Day-to-day Oversight: Monitor and drive execution of furnace loading, thermal processing, unloading, and post-process inspection across the furnace fleet. Track cycle schedules, flag delays, and resolve bottlenecks
• Quality Assurance: Work with Antora’s Quality team to define and enforce incoming, in-process, and final inspection criteria. Assist with root cause analysis and corrective action when material is out of spec
• Supplier Coordination: Serve as Antora's primary on-site liaison with the supplier's operations, maintenance, engineering, controls, quality, EH&S, purchasing, and management teams. Ensure Antora's priorities are understood and acted on
• Safety & Compliance: Ensure all operations meet Antora's & supplier's EH&S standards and applicable regulations. Identify and escalate safety risks proactively
• Material Flow & Logistics: Oversee receiving, inventory management, fixture handling, and outbound shipping of finished material. Maintain accurate records and traceability, including establishing material planning and inventory tracking processes, including evaluation of MRP systems
• Continuous Improvement: Track yield, throughput, and cost metrics. Identify recurring issues and drive process improvements in collaboration with the supplier and Antora's San Jose operations team
• Communication & Reporting: Provide regular production status updates to Antora leadership. Escalate risks and decisions that require HQ input in a timely manner

What We're Looking For

• B.S. or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, process engineering, or production management in a heavy industrial or high-temperature processing environment.
• Demonstrated experience writing and implementing SOPs, control plans, and/or quality management documentation.
• Hands-on familiarity with furnace, kiln, or other thermal process operations.
• Track record of coordinating across multiple functional teams (operations, maintenance, quality, EH&S) to deliver production targets.
• Experience with root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action processes.
• Strong project management skills — ability to manage competing priorities and drive accountability in a matrixed or supplier-partner setting.
• Willingness to be based full-time on site in St. Mary's, PA and work in covered, unconditioned, outdoor environments throughout the year.

Bonus Qualifications 

• Experience standing up new production lines or launching operations at a new site (zero-to-one).
• Background in carbon, graphite, ceramics, or other high-temperature material processing.
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement frameworks.
• Experience working as a customer representative embedded at a supplier or contract manufacturer.
• Exposure to thermal energy storage or adjacent energy technologies.
• Experience in startup or high-growth manufacturing environments

Work Location: Onsite in St Mary's, PA 

Salary Range:  $97,000 USD - $116,000 USD

Salary Basis:  Annual

Please note that the salary range listed above reflects Antora Energy's estimated pay for this position. The actual salary offered will be within the posted range and determined based on several factors including but not limited to a candidate's experiences, credentials and expertise, as they pertain to the position's requirements.

In addition to a competitive base salary, Antora Energy’s Total Rewards program includes equity compensation in the form of stock options, a premium health benefits package with life and disability insurance, a 401K plan with employer contributions, flexible spending accounts, and an industry leading paid-time-off policy that features flexible and inclusive holiday observance, as well as paid volunteer time off.