(Senior) Industrialisation & Ramp-Up Manager

Who we are

Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies. We aim to achieve technological leadership, so that open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions and control their ethical standards.

As democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI. We take this responsibility seriously.

We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer-facing programme managers. We are looking for mission-driven people to join our European teams and apply their skills to solve the most complex and impactful problems. We embrace an open and transparent culture that welcomes healthy debates on the use of technology in defence, its benefits, and its ethical implications.

The role

As Senior Industrialisation and Ramp-Up Manager, you will own the transition from engineering prototype to scalable, cost-efficient serial production. You will define the industrialisation roadmap, align Manufacturing Readiness Levels with programme gates, and lead the design of the full production system, from line layout and tooling through to automation and digitalisation. Working across engineering, supply chain, quality and programme leadership, you will shape Make vs. Buy decisions, qualify the supply base, and drive New Product Introduction activities with suppliers to ensure ramp-up milestones are met on time, on cost and on quality.

The day-to-day

• Own the Production Master Schedule and industrialisation roadmap, ensuring ramp-up milestones are delivered on time, on cost and to quality standards, with clear progress reporting to programme and executive stakeholders
• Define and execute the MRL strategy in alignment with TRL gates, establishing capacity baselines, quality gates and production procedures that enable repeatable, scalable manufacturing
• Lead the design and implementation of the production system, encompassing line layout, workstation design, tooling, digitalisation and automation, applying Lean Manufacturing principles throughout
• Shape and drive the Make vs. Buy strategy across major subsystems and assemblies, partnering with procurement to qualify and industrialise the supply base through Supplier Readiness Reviews, First Article Inspections and qualification activities
• Provide cross-functional leadership across engineering, supply chain, quality and programme teams, operating effectively at both shop-floor and board level to resolve blockers and maintain production momentum

You should apply if you

• Have led industrialisation and production ramp-up programmes in a manufacturing environment, taking full ownership from prototype through to serial production at scale
• Have defined and managed Manufacturing Readiness Level strategies, aligning MRL progress with TRL gates and programme milestones across complex, multi-disciplinary products
• Have designed production systems, including line layout, tooling and automation, and implemented Lean Manufacturing principles to deliver measurable improvements in efficiency and quality
• Have shaped Make vs. Buy strategies and led supplier qualification activities, including First Article Inspections and qualification processes, in close collaboration with procurement
• Can operate across organisational levels, aligning engineering, supply chain, quality and executive stakeholders around a shared industrialisation plan while maintaining hands-on involvement in production execution

Note: We operate in an industry where women, as well as other minority groups, are systematically under-represented. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarised in a few bullet points.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with defence or aerospace manufacturing environments and their associated regulatory and quality frameworks
• Experience with manufacturing digitalisation programmes, including MES implementation or Industry 4.0 tooling

What we offer

• Competitive salary and VSOP options
• Relocation support: up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation
• Learning: €500/£450 yearly allowance
• Health & wellness: gym membership and mental health support (Nilo.health)
• Social: regular company events and monthly social allowances
• Enhanced parental leave: 22 weeks fully paid for primary caregivers & 6 weeks for secondary caregivers
• Family support: 5 days of paid family emergency leave, 100% remote work option during pregnancy and phased return to work

These are the core benefits across all locations; there may be additional benefits in specific sites.

Helsing is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity. Please do not submit personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning your health, or data concerning your sexual orientation.

Helsing's Candidate Privacy and Confidentiality Regime can be found here .