Shift Lead (m/f/d) – Battery Discharging, Disassembly and Mechanical Processing

cylib; Wernberg-Köblitz; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

New site

Meaningful work

Onboarding & development

Team support

Career growth

Job summary

cylib is a German battery recycling company seeking a Shift Lead for its new site in Wernberg-Köblitz. You will take operational responsibility during your shift and coordinate the team to run unloading, disassembly, and mechanical processing of batteries safely and efficiently.

You will monitor equipment, support day-to-day operations, and ensure compliance with safety and quality standards. You will mentor staff and contribute to process improvements as the plant grows.

Qualifications

• Experience in production operations and ideally leading or coordinating teams.
• Completed a technical or skilled-trade apprenticeship.
• Experience working in a shift-based environment and willingness to work shifts.
• Familiar with operating different types of equipment and production processes, pragmatic approach to technical challenges.
• Hands-on, careful, reliable with a strong focus on safety.
• Enjoy guiding, instructing and supporting employee development.
• Ability to document production and work processes clearly; experience with production or documentation systems is a plus.
• Confident German communication and reliable coordination with a range of contacts.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the team during the shift with clear task allocation and handover.
• Monitor unloading, disassembly, and mechanical processing of lithium-ion batteries; ensure equipment and workflows run reliably.
• Actively support equipment operation and day-to-day processes.
• Ensure compliance with safety regulations, work instructions, and quality standards.
• Identify deviations and malfunctions early; escalate to Plant Manager and interfaces as needed.
• Collaborate with Operations Manager, Dispatcher, and Technical/Maintenance teams.
• Instruct employees, support onboarding, and contribute to professional development.
• Use experience to continuously improve workflows and processes at the site.

Skills

Team leadership

Production operations

Safety compliance

Troubleshooting

German language

On-the-job training

Education

Technical or skilled-trade apprenticeship

Tools

Production equipment operation

Job description

Your mission

As a Shift Lead, you will take operational responsibility during your shift and ensure that our processes run safely, efficiently and reliably.

• You will lead and coordinate the team during your shift, ensure a clear allocation of tasks and facilitate a structured handover to the following shift.
• You will monitor the unloading and disassembly processes as well as the mechanical processing of lithium-ion batteries, ensuring that equipment, workstations and material flows operate reliably.
• You will actively support equipment operation and day-to-day operational processes.
• You will ensure compliance with safety regulations, work instructions and quality standards.
• You will identify deviations and malfunctions at an early stage, initiate appropriate measures and escalation relevant issues to the Plant Manager and the responsible interfaces.
• You will work closely with the Operations Manager, Dispatcher and the Technical and Maintenance teams.
• You will instruct employees, support their onboarding and contribute to their professional development.
• You will use your experience to continuously improve workflows and processes at the site.

Your profile

• You have experience in production operations and, ideally, in leading or coordinating teams.
• You have completed a technical or skilled-trade apprenticeship.
• You have experience working in a shift-based environment and are willing to work shifts.
• You are familiar with operating different types of equipment and production processes, and approach technical challenges pragmatically.
• You are good with your hands, you work carefully and reliably, with a strong focus on safety.
• You enjoy guiding, instructing and supporting the development of employees.
• You are able to document production and work processes clearly and comprehensibly; experience with production or documentation systems is an advantage.
• You communicate confidently in German and coordinate clearly and reliably with a range of contacts.
• You maintain an overview even when several issues require your attention at the same time.

Why us?

• You will be part of building a new site from day one.
• You will work on something that truly matters - through your work, you help return valuable raw materials to the loop and strengthen Europe’s independence.
• We invest in you - from comprehensive onboarding and training to your personal development.
• You will be part of a team that supports each other- at cylib, everyone pulls together, whether in production or in the office.
• You will have perspective - we are growing, and with that come new opportunities.

About us

cylib is a German battery recycling company that emerged from research at RWTH Aachen University in 2022. With an integrated network of sites, we bring together research and development at our headquarters in Aachen, dismantling and mechanical processing in Wernberg-K"oblitz, and hydrometallurgical processing in Dormagen (in ramp-up). Our goal: building a resilient European value chain through the recovery of high-quality materials for sustainable batteries.

With our innovative OLiC technology (Optimized Lithium and Graphite Recovery), we recover over 90% of the contained raw materials – with a CO2 footprint that is 80% lower than conventional processes. Towards the realization of a true circular economy in the European market.