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
The Manufacturing Engineer plays a pivotal, strategic role at the intersection of product design and production reality. This position is central to defining how products will be manufactured, ensuring their robust and efficient realization from concept through to scalable production. The Manufacturing Engineer proactively collaborates with design engineering to guarantee manufacturability (DFM/DFA) from the earliest stages, meticulously plans and optimizes manufacturing processes, defines optimal cycle times, identifies and mitigates potential bottlenecks, and oversees the successful implementation of new production lines and technologies. Their expertise ensures that innovative designs can be transformed into high-quality, cost-effective, and scalable products.
The day-to-day
• Strategic Process Definition & Realization: Lead the definition, design, and realization of new and optimized manufacturing processes for new product introductions (NPI) or significant design changes. This includes selecting appropriate manufacturing technologies, developing process flows, and defining specific operational sequences.
• Design for Manufacturability (DFM/DFA) Leadership: Serve as the primary manufacturing interface with Design Engineering from the conceptual phase onwards. Provide critical and proactive input on Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) to ensure product designs are inherently optimized for efficient, high-quality, and cost-effective production before release.
• Capacity & Cycle Time Planning: Conduct detailed analysis and planning for manufacturing capacities, define optimal cycle times (Taktzeiten) for new production steps or lines, and perform line balancing to achieve target throughput and efficiency.
• Bottleneck Identification & Mitigation: Proactively identify potential bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and risks in planned manufacturing processes and line layouts. Develop and propose alternative solutions, process improvements, or equipment strategies to prevent future production constraints.
• Tooling, Equipment & Automation Specification: Define the requirements for, and support the design, procurement, and qualification of new manufacturing tools, fixtures, jigs, and production equipment, including automation solutions tailored to the defined processes.
• New Product Introduction (NPI) & Ramp-up: Develop comprehensive manufacturing plans for NPI, oversee the setup and validation of new production lines, manage pilot runs, and support the successful ramp-up to full-scale production, ensuring process stability and yield targets are met.
• Process Validation & Control: Establish robust process control plans and conduct thorough validation activities (e.g., IQ/OQ/PQ) and statistical process capability studies (CpK, PpK) for new and modified processes to ensure consistent quality and performance.
• Documentation & Standardization: Create and maintain precise manufacturing documentation, including detailed work instructions, process flow diagrams, routings, process specifications, and technical reports, ensuring standardized and reproducible manufacturing operations.
• Continuous Improvement & Lean Application: Apply Lean Manufacturing principles (e.g., Value Stream Mapping, SMED, Poka-Yoke) and Six Sigma methodologies to continuously refine and optimize newly implemented or existing processes, focusing on waste reduction and efficiency gains.
• Technical Expertise & Collaboration: Provide expert technical guidance and support during the implementation phase of new processes and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (R&D, Quality, Supply Chain, Production) to achieve manufacturing excellence.
You should apply if you have
• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical field from an accredited institution.
• 3-7 years of progressive experience in a manufacturing engineering role, with a strong emphasis on process definition, new product introduction, and DFM activities.
• Profound understanding and practical experience with Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles, with a proven ability to influence product design.
• Expertise in process planning, line balancing, cycle time analysis (Taktzeitplanung), and bottleneck identification and resolution within complex manufacturing environments.
• In-depth knowledge of various manufacturing processes (e.g., machining, casting, injection molding, welding, additive manufacturing, assembly, surface treatment) and their specific capabilities, limitations, and best practices.
• Proficiency with CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD, NX, CATIA) for designing and modifying parts, assemblies, tooling, and especially for factory layout and process simulation. Experience with CAM software is a plus.
• Strong understanding of materials science and material selection criteria relative to manufacturing processes.
• Experience with process validation techniques (IQ, OQ, PQ) and statistical process control (SPC).
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a highly analytical and proactive mindset, attention to detail, and a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Ability to read and interpret complex engineering drawings, GD&T, schematics, and technical specifications.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams (R&D, Quality, Supply Chain, Production) and present complex technical information clearly and persuasively.
• Familiarity with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and factory automation technologies.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize tasks, and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic manufacturing environment.
• Proven expertise in applying Lean Manufacturing principles and Six Sigma methodologies (Green Belt or Black Belt certification highly desirable).
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.
Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields
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Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns
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The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world
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Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. The defence industry is entering the most exciting phase of the technological development curve. Advances in our field of world are not incremental: Helsing is part of, and often leading, historic leaps forward
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In our domain, success is a matter of order-of-magnitude improvements and novel capabilities. This means we take bets, aim high, and focus on big opportunities. Despite being a relatively young company, Helsing has already been selected for multiple significant government contracts
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We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it. Teams and individual engineers are trusted (and encouraged) to practise responsible autonomy and critical thinking, and to focus on outcomes, not conformity. At Helsing you will have a say in how we (and you!) work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn’t work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about
What we offer
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A focus on outcomes, not time-tracking
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Competitive compensation and stock options
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Relocation support
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Social and education allowances
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Regular company events and all-hands to bring together employees as one team across Europe
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A hands-on onboarding program (affectionately labelled “Infraduction”), in which you will be building tooling and applications to be used across the company. This is your opportunity to learn our tech stack, explore the company, and learn how we get things done - all whilst working with other engineering teams from day one
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.
