Head Of Assembly And Integration

AirQ; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 450,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

AirQ is seeking a Head of Assembly & Integration to build and lead the Assembly & Integration function from the ground up in Abu Dhabi. This hands-on leadership role will establish the assembly organization, hire a growing team of technicians, set production standards and drive readiness across multiple streams.

The ideal candidate will bring 8+ years in assembly or production leadership, with experience in aerospace/defense or other regulated environments, and a proven ability to scale

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, Industrial Engineering or related field.
• 8+ years of assembly/production leadership experience.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, UAV or regulated manufacturing environments preferred.
• Proven track record building/scaling a production/assembly organization.
• Strong production planning, line balancing and industrialization experience.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 / AS9100 quality principles.
• Experience developing work instructions, staffing structures and shift plans.
• Strong Lean/production principles and continuous improvement mindset.
• PMP, Six Sigma or similar manufacturing leadership cert is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the Assembly & Integration organization, including hiring and developing leads and technicians.
• Establish work standards, staffing plans and shift structures before facility go-live.
• Own assembly line performance across multiple production streams.
• Monitor throughput, quality, manpower utilization and schedule adherence.
• Ensure compliance with work instructions, quality standards and production schedules.
• Collaborate with Industrialization and Process Engineering on work instructions, tooling and readiness.
• Coordinate with suppliers, subcontractors and contract manufacturers.
• Identify and mitigate material, tooling, quality and production issues.
• Drive Lean, line balancing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure go-live and production readiness targets are met.
• Report KPIs to the VP of AIT.

Skills

People leadership

Hands-on leadership

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, Industrial Engineering

Job description

Job Description:

Air Q Limited is looking for a Head of Assembly & Integration to build and lead our Assembly & Integration function from the ground up.

This is a hands‑on leadership role responsible for establishing the assembly organization, building the team, setting production standards, and ensuring efficient, high-quality assembly operations across multiple production streams.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and lead the Assembly & Integration organization, including hiring and developing Assembly Leads and Technicians.


• Establish work standards, staffing plans and shift structures ahead of facility go‑live.


• Own assembly line performance across Low Volume, High Volume (S2), and Ad‑Hoc/Launcher production streams.


• Monitor production throughput, quality, manpower utilization and schedule adherence.


• Ensure compliance with work instructions, quality standards and production schedules.


• Work closely with Industrialization and Process Engineering teams on work instructions, tooling and production readiness.


• Coordinate with component/tooling suppliers, subcontractors and contract manufacturers.


• Identify and escape material, tooling, quality and production issues affecting line readiness.


• Drive Lean manufacturing, line balancing and continuous improvement initiatives.


• Ensure the Assembly & Integration function achieves required go‑live and production readiness targets.


• Report assembly performance, staffing and quality KPIs to the VP of AIT.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Mechatronics, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.


• 8+ years of experience in assembly or production leadership.


• Experience in aerospace, defense, UAV, or other regulated manufacturing environments is highly preferred.


• Proven experience in building, establishing or scaling a production/assembly organization.


• Strong experience in production planning, line balancing, manpower planning and industrialization.


• Knowledge of ISO 9001 / AS9100 quality principles.


• Experience developing work instructions, staffing structures and shift plans.


• Strong understanding of Lean/production principles and continuous improvement.


• PMP, Six Sigma or other manufacturing leadership certification is an advantage.

What We're Looking For

• Strong people leadership and team‑building capability.


• Hands‑on and quality‑focused approach.


• Ability to work effectively in a fast‑moving, pre‑launch environment.


• Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making skills.


• Ability to coordinate effectively with engineering, quality, supply chain and production teams.


• Strong communication and stakeholder‑management skills.

Key Performance Indicators

• Assembly Lead/Technician hiring completion against plan.


• Production schedule adherence of 90-95%+.


• Rework and defect rate of less than 3%.


• On‑time facility and production go‑live readiness.