Manufacturing Team Lead – Metal Processing (all genders)

Blackwave GmbH; Garching bei München, Taufkirchen; Remote; EUR 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Germany ticket

Egym Wellpass

Give Card

Job summary

Blackwave GmbH in Germany is seeking an experienced manufacturing leader to take over an existing team and drive reliability in high-precision metal processing for spaceflight applications.

You will own the team, steer forming, welding and machining improvements, and ensure production never stalls due to liner-side constraints. You’ll build scalability, throughput, and clear ownership across the organization.

On-site role with English proficiency required; German language skills preferred.

Qualifications

• MSc in Engineering — Aerospace, Mechanical, or equivalent.
• Led people before with team development experience.
• Strong metal processing knowledge: forming, welding, machining.
• On-site required; English C1, German B1.
• Experience in serial production with repeatability, throughput and scalability.

Responsibilities

• Own and develop the existing production team from day one.
• Drive forming, welding and machining process improvements.
• Ensure output flow and prevent liner-side constraints.
• Translate schedules into team priorities and unblock bottlenecks.
• Build a scalable, reliable production system.

Skills

Leadership

Team development

MSc Eng

Aerospace

Mechanical

Metal forming

Welding

Machining

Serial production

English proficiency

German B1

Education

MSc in Engineering — Aerospace/Mechanical

Job description

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

THE WHAT
You own the metal. Every forming step, every weld, every machined surface that becomes a liner is your responsibility. You take over an existing team, develop it, and build the system that turns individual output into serial production performance.

You own team output and metal processing development. You drive quality, throughput, process maturity, and team development. You ensure production is never blocked by a liner-side constraint.

THE WHY
To end COPV failure in spaceflight. No liner, no pressure vessel. No pressure vessel, no mission. The liner team is where production reliability begins — and where it can fail. This role exists to make sure it never does.

YOUR IMPACT
You don’t just run a team. You manufacture reliability.

You ensure:

• Metal processing is precise and repeatable
• Your team has clear ownership and grows with the mission
• Production is never blocked by a liner-side constraint

Your tasks in detail and by priority

Own the existing team from day one. Develop it, drive output, and set the standard for quality and throughput.

→Accountability:Own your impact. No passengers

Drive new and improved forming, welding, and machining processes. Bring strong development experience yourself or work closely with a dedicated development expert to ensure the necessary technical expertise is covered.

→High Performance:Build for scale. Design for repeatability

Build a team that performs under pressure, gives direct feedback, and holds itself accountable — in line with our values.

→Togetherness:One team. High bar for everyone

Translate production schedules into team priorities. Unblock bottlenecks fast. Keep output on track.

→Candor:Surface problems early. Solve them faster

Identify and close gaps in manufacturing maturity. Push processes toward repeatability, documentation,and scale.

→Playfulness:Experiment. Learn fast. Improve relentlessly

YOUR PROFILE

Must-Haves

• Full responsibility for your team’s output. You don’t wait to be asked — you lead yourself and your team with clarity, even when it’s uncomfortable
• MSc in Engineering — Aerospace, Mechanical, or equivalent
• You’ve led people before, not just projects. You know what real team development looks like
• Strong foundation in metal processing — forming, welding, or machining. You understand the process from the inside
• Clear and direct at every level — operators, technicians, and C-level. You get the message across without noise. Experience in serial production and understanding of repeatability, throughput and scalability.
• Fully on-site. This role leads by being there
• English C1 minimum, German B1 minimum

Nice to have

• Development experience in process or manufacturing development
• Planning and project management experience in a manufacturing environment

WHAT WE OFFER

• Choose your own benefit:Germany ticket, Egym Wellpass, or a tax-free Give Card
• Healthy & social lunch culture:Fresh meals during shared lunch breaks
• High level of autonomy & real impact: You own a critical seam in the business — between what we sell and what we build
• Startup mindset meets aerospace innovation:Flat hierarchies, fast decisions, and space for your ideas
• Stunning views:Rooftop terrace with views of the Alps in Taufkirchen, or indoor garden in Garching-Hochbrück
• Growth opportunities: Work on technically demanding projects with real stakes
• We live our team culture:From tech talks to team events and after-work gatherings — we celebrate success together