Head of Manufacturing / Production (Throndheim , Norway relocation) 115k€ - 150k€ in London

Company Overview

We are recruiting on behalf of a fast-growing deep-tech aerospace company based in Trondheim, Norway, currently entering an important phase of industrialization and organizational scaling. The company develops next-generation UAV / drone technologies and advanced structural systems designed for operation in some of the world’s harshest environments.

We are looking for someone:

• with a strong startup mindset, who can find solutions very quickly (changing production line and process in a few weeks)
• with an engineering background (preferably Mechanical, structure, system), hands-on, who can challenge production teams and R&D teams
• who has already experienced a strong ramp-up in production
• who has already held a leadership position in a production department

About the Role

As Head of Manufacturing, you will own the development and execution of the manufacturing strategy in close collaboration with Engineering leadership — from rapid prototyping and R&D support through to full-scale, high-precision production. You will lead the design, commissioning, and continuous optimization of production lines to support a rapidly growing hardware portfolio.

A key part of the role will be to build and scale the manufacturing organization, growing the team from approximately 12 people today to more than 50 employees as production capacity increases. This is a highly technical leadership role requiring hands-on capability, strategic vision, and the ability to balance manufacturability with ongoing product innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end manufacturing function, including composite fabrication, prototype builds, NPI, and scalable production.
• Design, build, and commission advanced, modular production cells and automated equipment.
• Drive manufacturability improvements while maintaining innovation velocity, knowing when to challenge design decisions and when to push manufacturing forward.
• Define manufacturing processes, facility layout, and long-term production strategy to support future product families and increased volumes.
• Collaborate with automation partners to deploy robotic and semi-automated systems that reduce variability, increase throughput, and enable flexible production.
• Implement and maintain a robust Quality Management System aligned with Tier-1 supplier standards.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing manufacturing team, scaling the organization in line with company growth and maintaining a strong focus on precision, reliability, and continuous improvement.

Profile & Experience

• Strong Mechanical Engineering foundation with solid understanding of materials science and precision fabrication.
• Experience with composite fabrication or advanced materials is an advantage.
• Significant hands-on manufacturing experience spanning both R&D support and scaled production environments.
• Proven experience building or commissioning production lines or manufacturing cells, preferably involving electromechanical assemblies.
• Experience working with automation integrators and implementing advanced automated equipment.
• Ability to define and execute a clear manufacturing vision aligned with company objectives.
• Experience operating within a Quality Management System and Tier-1 supplier standards.
• Background in scaling low-volume, high-complexity hardware products with tight tolerances (e.g., composites, electromechanical assemblies, robotics, or similar).
• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate across engineering, production, and leadership teams.
• Positive, resilient mindset with a pragmatic and solution-oriented approach.

Why Join

This opportunity offers the chance to build world-class UAV products within a fast-growing company and an expanding team, in an environment that values both ambition and balance. The company operates with strong Scandinavian values, emphasizing trust, autonomy, and meaningful impact.

The organization believes that:

• High performance comes from clarity and ownership rather than long working hours.
• People do their best work when given flexibility and autonomy.
• Deep-tech hardware challenges are addressed through transparency, collaboration, and a strong bias toward action.
• Teams perform best when individuals feel safe to challenge ideas, experiment, and learn quickly.