This position ensures that heavy component movement is fully integrated into shipyard design and production planning. The engineer will develop transfer strategies, rigging concepts, lifting studies, and transport plans to support efficient block movement while preventing production bottlenecks.

Early involvement in yard planning ensures that yard layouts, pavement structures, heavy lift equipment, transport corridors, and rigging strategies are designed to support safe and reliable operations at scale.

Responsibilities:

Heavy Transport & Transfer Engineering

• Develop engineering plans for transporting ship blocks, modules, and heavy equipment across the shipyard using SPMTs and related transfer systems.
• Calculate load distribution, axle configurations, ground pressures, and stability requirements for heavy transports.
• Determine safe transport configurations for oversized, asymmetric, or high center-of-gravity loads.

Rigging Engineering

• Develop rigging concepts and lifting configurations for ship blocks, large modules, and heavy equipment.
• Perform rigging calculations including sling loads, lift point forces, center-of-gravity analysis, and load factors.
• Design lifting frames, spreader bars, rigging arrangements, and lifting interfaces where required.
• Support development of lift plans for cranes, SPMT pick operations, and block erection activities.

Yard Transfer Strategy

• Define standard transport methods for block movement between fabrication, assembly, and erection areas.
• Establish transport routes, staging strategies, and buffer areas that support efficient production flow.
• Ensure heavy transport operations integrate with crane operations, erection sequencing, and waterfront activities.

Yard Infrastructure Planning

• Provide engineering input into yard layout to ensure transport corridors support heavy load movement.
• Define pavement load requirements, turning radii, slopes, and surface tolerances required for SPMT operations.
• Coordinate with civil and structural engineers on pavement design and structural loading requirements.

Lift & Transport Integration

• Coordinate transport engineering with crane lifts, rigging systems, and erection strategies.
• Develop integrated lift-and-transfer plans for large modules and ship blocks.
• Validate that lifting interfaces and transport frames align with ship structural design.

Equipment & System Integration

• Support selection and specification of SPMTs and other heavy transport systems.
• Support the selection and specification of Cranes and other heavy lifting systems.
• Evaluate alternative transfer methods including skidding systems, rails, cranes, or hybrid solutions.
• Define operational limits, redundancy requirements, and maintenance considerations.

Production Integration

• Work closely with build strategy to ensure block sizes, weights, and geometry align with lifting and transport capabilities.
• Identify potential logistics bottlenecks during early design phases.
• Support build strategy development and erection sequencing.

Safety & Risk Management

• Identify hazards associated with heavy transport and rigging operations.
• Develop safe work procedures and engineered controls for large load movements.
• Support incident investigations and continuous improvement of heavy lift practices.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or related field.
• Experience with heavy transport, rigging engineering, or heavy lift engineering planning.
• Strong understanding of structural load paths, load distribution, and lifting mechanics.
• Ability to develop engineering plans for large component lifting and transport.
• Experience with SPMT operations and heavy modular transport systems.
• Familiarity with rigging standards and lift planning practices.

Preferred:

• Direct Shipyard rigging and heavy lift engineering experience.
• Experience supporting modular construction or large assembly operations.
• Experience in transferring commercial and US government vessels from land level facilities to drydock.

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The Production Engineering Manager serves as the technical bridge between engineering, manufacturing, and facilities, translating ship designs into efficient and executable production plans. This includes defining block construction strategy, heavy lift and transport engineering, and establishing the production rules that govern how vessels are built within the shipyard.

A critical component of the role is developing and maintaining the Facilities Production Manual, which provides engineering teams with the design constraints and manufacturing rules required to ensure that vessel designs can be efficiently produced within Port Alpha’s facilities.

Responsibilities

Production Build Strategy

• Define and maintain the shipyard’s production build strategy, including panelization, block construction, and erection sequencing.
• Develop block breakdown structures and manufacturing strategies aligned with facility capabilities.
• Ensure vessel designs align with yard constraints such as crane capacities, transportation limits, and assembly workflows.

Heavy Lift & Transport Engineering

• Develop engineering strategies for lifting, transporting, and erecting ship blocks and major modules.
• Define lift plans, rigging concepts, and transport methods for large assemblies.
• Coordinate with heavy lift equipment operators and infrastructure teams to validate lifting and movement strategies.

Production Process Development

• Develop standardized manufacturing processes for steel fabrication, block assembly, and erection.
• Establish production workflows, takt planning concepts, and throughput assumptions.
• Identify opportunities for automation and process optimization within shipyard operations.

Facilities Production Manual

• Lead development of the Facilities Production Manual, establishing design rules for engineering teams.
• Define constraints including maximum block weights, dimensions, lifting interfaces, transport paths, and production tolerances.
• Ensure naval architects and vessel design teams incorporate facility manufacturing requirements early in the design process.

Manufacturing Integration

• Work closely with ship design teams to ensure production feasibility.
• Translate vessel design into manufacturing work packages and build sequences.
• Support development of digital models and production simulations.

Startup & Industrialization

• Support the startup of new shipyard facilities and manufacturing systems.
• Validate production processes during early vessel builds.
• Capture lessons learned and refine production engineering standards.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with engineering, facilities, automation, and operations teams to align production systems.
• Provide production engineering input to equipment selection and facility design.
• Support strategic planning for future production capacity expansion.

What Success Looks Like

• Vessel designs consistently align with shipyard manufacturing capabilities.
• Block construction and erection sequences are clearly defined and executable.
• Production processes are standardized and scalable.
• Engineering teams utilize the Facilities Production Manual as a core design reference.
• The shipyard achieves predictable production flow during early vessel builds.

Qualifications

• 8+ years experience in shipbuilding, heavy manufacturing, or large-scale industrial production engineering.
• Strong experience developing build strategies for large fabricated structures.
• Experience with heavy lift engineering, rigging, or large assembly operations.
• Demonstrated ability to translate product design into manufacturing processes.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration with engineering and operations teams.

Preferred

• Ship Structural Design Experience experience.
• Familiarity with panel line production and modular ship construction.
• Experience with digital production planning or simulation tools.
• Background in lean manufacturing or industrial system design.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Occasional standing and walking within the office
• Manual dexterity to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment
• Visual acuity to read screens, documents, and reports
• Occasional reaching, bending, or stooping to access file drawers, cabinets, or office supplies
• Lifting and carrying items up to 20 pounds occasionally (e.g., office supplies, packages)

Additional Information

• Benefits: Medical Insurance, Dental and Vision Insurance, Time Off, Parental Leave, Competitive Salary, Retirement Plan, Stock Options, Life and Disability Insurance, Pet Insurance
• Saronic CCPA Notice for Candidates and California Employees

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