Factory Deployment Lead

Job description

SAEKI - Manufacturing at software speed Europe's defense industrial base cannot respond at the speed modern conflict requires. Legacy suppliers operate on month-long timelines. Tribal knowledge is retiring. Supply chains are fragile. SAEKI is building the operating system for autonomous factories — the infrastructure that lets Europe manufacture mission-critical components at software speed. You'll own the physical buildout of SAEKI's factories — from empty floor space to fully operational, highly automated production lines. You are the person who turns a factory layout on a screen into a running facility. The Role As the Factory Deployment Lead, you are the architect and program manager of our physical factory infrastructure. Your mandate is to plan, build out, and commission Factory ONE in Germany — and then package that playbook so it can be replicated globally. You own the full deployment lifecycle: factory layout and material flow design, equipment selection and procurement, utility and infrastructure planning, installation supervision, automation integration, and ramp-up to series production. You work backwards from production targets and forwards from a bare concrete slab, orchestrating every trade, vendor, and installation sequence required to stand up a world-class autonomous manufacturing facility on time and on budget. Based on-site at Factory ONE in Munich, with travel to equipment vendors and future factory sites as needed. What We're Looking For 7+ years of experience in factory planning, industrial engineering, or manufacturing facility buildout — ideally in automotive, aerospace, or high-volume precision manufacturing. You have personally led or been deeply embedded in at least one greenfield factory deployment or major production line installation. Factory Layout and Material Flow Mastery: You think in terms of value streams, takt times, and material flow. You can design a factory layout that optimizes for throughput, flexibility, and automation — and you know how to iterate it as requirements change. Equipment Integration: Hands-on experience specifying, procuring, installing, and commissioning capital equipment — CNC machines, industrial robots, conveyor systems, 3D printers, or similar. You understand foundations, utilities (power, compressed air, cooling), and the mechanical/electrical interfaces required to bring machines online. Automation Deployment: Deep understanding of how to deploy and integrate automated production systems — robotic workcells, automated material handling, vision systems, and PLC-controlled infrastructure. You don't need to write PLC code, but you must understand how automated systems fit together at a systems level. Program Management Rigor: You manage complex, multi-vendor buildout schedules with dozens of parallel workstreams. You are relentless about timelines, dependencies, and risk mitigation. Vendor and Contractor Management: Experience managing relationships with machine tool OEMs, system integrators, construction contractors, and utility providers. You know how to hold vendors accountable and negotiate effectively. Lean / Industrial Engineering Foundations: Strong grounding in lean manufacturing principles, line balancing, ergonomics, and continuous improvement. You design factories that are efficient from day one, not just functional. Software-Driven Mindset: You are energized by the idea of a software-defined factory. You understand that the physical layout must be designed hand-in-hand with the digital infrastructure — sensors, networking, edge compute, and data collection are first-class citizens in your factory plans. Location: Based in Munich (on-site at Factory ONE). Travel to vendor sites and future factory locations required. Language: Fluent in German and English. What we're not looking for Traditional plant managers who optimize steady-state operations. This role is about building factories, not running them. People who plan on paper but don't supervise execution. You will be on the floor during installation, commissioning, and ramp-up — hard hat and steel toes. Engineers who treat automation and IT infrastructure as an afterthought to be "added later." At SAEKI, digital and physical infrastructure are designed together from the start. Executives who need a large support team before they can be effective. You will start lean and build the team as the deployment scales. People who are uncomfortable with ambiguity and rapid iteration. Factory plans will change as our technology evolves — you must be able to adapt without losing momentum. What we offer Mission: Rebuild the industrial sovereignty of the West. Your work directly enables the production of mission-critical hardware for defense and space. Total Ownership: High-stakes autonomy in your domain. You own both the problems and the solutions — and have the authority to execute. The Environment: Access to a 5,000m² state-of-the-art facility featuring 5-axis CNCs, industrial robots, and industrial 3D printers. Your work runs on real hardware from day one. The Team: "Special Forces" model. Everyone senior, everyone ships. No politics, no bureaucracy. Direct feedback, high standards. Compensation: Competitive salary + meaningful equity. Location: Zurich HQ or Factory ONE in Munich, depending on role. Hybrid options available where applicable. Apply Resume: Focus on systems you've built and owned. GitHub/Portfolio: Show us work you're proud of — code, machines, or production systems. Cover letter: Why this mission? Why now? What would you build first?