Manufacturing Start-up Project Manager (51268)

DescriptionGradian is an engineering-led, full-line thermal solutions partner serving data center and other mission-critical, commercial, and industrial markets. Headquartered in Maple Grove, MN, with additional facilities across North America, we design and manufacture liquid cooling systems, air handling equipment, heat rejection units, and modular, factory-assembled thermal management solutions.

Gradian was founded through the unification of four complementary, established brands: MAS HVAC, Daedex, DeepCoolAI, and EcoChillers. Together, we act as a single-source provider, deploying cooling technologies as scalable systems optimized for efficiency, spatial constraints, and overall performance. With a vertically integrated engineering and manufacturing model, we pair rapid design turnaround with precision fabrication, so customers can move faster on complex projects where reliability, timeline, and quality all matter.

Why work here

At Gradian, you'll work alongside others who get genuinely fired up by complex problems, see your work go from first sketch to job site in weeks, not years, and know that while we're developing the technologies critical for AI infrastructure to scale, our culture remains people-first by design.

It is core to our identity that we operate as one team — driving to win together, energizing others, and building lasting relationships that make the work fun and rewarding.

Position Summary

The Project Manager, Manufacturing Startup will lead the planning, execution, and successful launch of a new manufacturing facility producing mission-critical Data Center HVAC equipment. This role is responsible for managing all aspects of factory startup, including capital equipment installation, industrial engineering and assembly process development, production staffing, first article builds, customer qualification requirements, and operational readiness.

The successful candidate will coordinate cross-functional teams across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Facilities, and Customers to ensure a safe, efficient, and scalable manufacturing operation capable of meeting customer delivery, quality, and cost objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Factory Startup and Program Management

Lead manufacturing startup activities from facility readiness through production launch.
Develop and manage detailed project timelines, budgets, milestones, and risk mitigation plans.
Coordinate cross-functional teams to achieve startup objectives.
Monitor project performance and communicate status to executive leadership.
Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for startup readiness and operational excellence.

Capital Equipment Management

Define manufacturing equipment requirements for Data Center HVAC product lines.
Manage capital expenditure projects including:

Assembly line equipment
Material handling systems
Production tooling
Test equipment
Automation systems
Facility infrastructure upgrades

Coordinate equipment specification, procurement, installation, commissioning, and acceptance testing.
Ensure equipment readiness aligns with production launch schedules.
Manage vendor relationships and equipment performance requirements.

Industrial Engineering and Assembly Process Development

Lead manufacturing process design and implementation.
Develop:

Assembly workflows
Manufacturing routing structures
Work instructions
Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
Line balancing and takt time analysis

Conduct time studies and labor planning activities.
Develop production layouts that optimize safety, quality, efficiency, and scalability.
Implement Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
Establish material flow, inventory control, and point-of-use systems.

Staffing and Workforce Planning

Develop comprehensive manufacturing staffing plans based on production forecasts.
Determine labor requirements by department including:

Assembly
Quality
Engineering
Material handling
Production supervision
Test operations

Partner with Human Resources to recruit, onboard, and train manufacturing personnel.
Support leadership development and operational readiness initiatives.
Develop workforce ramp-up plans to support customer demand growth.

First Article Build and Production Launch

Lead first article manufacturing builds and validation activities.
Ensure manufacturing processes are capable of meeting engineering and customer specifications.
Coordinate:

Prototype builds
Pilot production runs
Process validation
Capacity verification

Identify and resolve manufacturing readiness issues prior to production launch.
Drive corrective actions to support smooth transition into full-rate production.

Customer Quality and Compliance Requirements

Serve as primary manufacturing representative for customer qualification and audit activities.
Ensure compliance with customer-specific quality requirements and specifications.
Lead development of:

Quality Plans
Control Plans
Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA)
Inspection Procedures
First Article Inspection Reports (FAIR)

Support customer acceptance testing and production approval processes.
Drive root-cause analysis and corrective action implementation for quality issues.
Ensure adherence to industry standards and regulatory requirements.

Risk Management and Continuous Improvement

Identify project risks related to production readiness, quality, supply chain, staffing, and equipment installation.
Develop mitigation plans and contingency strategies.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on:

Safety
Productivity
Quality
Cost reduction
On-time delivery

Support future production capacity expansion initiatives.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
7+ years of manufacturing project management experience.
5+ years supporting factory startup, greenfield manufacturing, or major production launch initiatives.
Experience with capital equipment implementation and manufacturing automation projects.
Strong understanding of industrial engineering principles and assembly process development.
Experience leading cross-functional teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Proven knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
Experience managing project schedules, budgets, and resource allocations.

Preferred Qualification