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Clair HawkinsCH
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Clair Hawkins

@clairhawkins

I build and scale defense and aerospace manufacturing operations for high-rate production.

United States
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At Wild West Systems, I built the operational infrastructure to transition a venture-backed counter-UAS startup into a production-ready defense contractor. I led manufacturing, engineering, quality, facilities, finance, compliance, government programs, investor relations, and major domestic and international demonstrations.

At Firefly Aerospace, I led Structures Manufacturing through rate production, a 100,000+ square-foot facility launch, and automation initiatives that reduced scrap from 35% to 3% and touch time by 90%. I increased output 32% with the existing workforce while supporting the Medium Launch Vehicle program.

I also built and led Firefly's continuous improvement organization, improving ERP data accuracy from 4% to 98%, removing $10M in erroneous hardware, and increasing monthly component production from 112 to 735. My work spans lean systems, manufacturing readiness, material management, KPI development, capacity planning, and scalable production workflows.

Earlier, I led sales at Tesla Energy and supported missile hardware analysis, testing, quality, and process improvement at Raytheon Missile Systems. I bring a mechanical and aerospace engineering foundation to building teams, systems, and products that perform when the mission matters.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

WS

Head of Operations

Wild West Systems

Jun 2025 - Aug 2026 (1 year 2 months)

Built and scaled all business operations for a venture-backed defense technology startup, establishing manufacturing, quality, HR, procurement, compliance, finance, and business processes. Directed strategic planning for Series A fundraising and led regulatory strategy across FAA, ATF, ITAR, CMMC, and OSHA.

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Utah State University logoUU

Utah State University

Bachelor of Science, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Grade: Magna Cum Laude

Activities and societies: Brandon Paulson Award, Air Force Research Lab Competition Winner (Recognized in Popular Science)

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Tech stack

Software and tools used professionally

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