Production Manager​/Shop Coordinator

About Launch Partners

Launch Partners is a manufacturing engineering consulting firm that helps growing food, beverage, and specialty manufacturers execute capital equipment projects and design production systems. Our team is made up of operators who became engineers—we've run production lines, managed shifts, and solved real‑world problems before we ever touched CAD software. That hands‑on experience is what sets us apart.

We're looking for someone to lead fabrication and assembly operations at our Arvada shop (the "Launch Pad"). You'll start as a hands‑on builder, taking production orders from our engineering team and turning drawings into reality. As we grow, you'll hire and manage a small team of shop technicians.

This role is about ownership—you'll coordinate not just our internal work, but also external vendors like machine shops and fabrication partners. We want someone who can look at a project schedule, understand the milestones, and make sure parts and assemblies show up on time.

• Build: Fabricate and assemble equipment from engineering drawings—mechanical and electrical. You'll work with hand tools, power tools, MIG and TIG welding, and various shop equipment.
• Coordinate: Manage production schedules to hit project milestones. Track work coming in from external machine shops and partners, inspect incoming parts, and keep the engineers informed.
• Procure: Order hardware, tooling, and materials. Handle vendor returns. Manage shop inventory so we have what we need when we need it.
• Lead: As projects grow, you'll hire and develop 1–2 shop technicians. Coach them, hold them accountable, and build a team that takes pride in quality work.
• Challenge: Review engineering drawings with a critical eye. If something doesn't make sense or won't work in practice, speak up. We want you to push back and make the designs better.

• Required: Proven competency across fabrication skills—hand tools, power tools, MIG welding, TIG welding. Ability to read and build to mechanical and electrical drawings. Understanding of GD&T. Comfortable inspecting machined parts from vendors. Solid computer skills including spreadsheets, email, and online ordering/shipping systems.
• Nice to Have: Sanitary TIG welding experience (huge plus for food/beverage work). Machining background. CAD or engineering drawing experience—if you don't have it, we'll teach you.

You have a growth mindset
—curious, always learning, never satisfied with "good enough." You're solution-oriented
: we don't say "can't," we ask "how." You're a self-starter who doesn't wait to be told what to do next.

You tackle the hard things first, not last. You're comfortable being challenged outside your comfort zone—with guidance and guardrails, but always pushing to grow. You're not scared of the unknown.

Work hard, play hard. We build cool stuff for interesting clients, and we want someone who takes pride in their craft.

Location: On‑site at the Launch Pad in Arvada, CO (occasional remote work for computer tasks)

Schedule: Full‑time, 40 hours/week

Reports to: Director of Engineering

Compensation: Starting at $60,000+, based on experience. Significant growth potential as the role and team expand.