Head of AIV/AIT & Industrialisation

Job description

At ClearSpace, we believe in reusability, in affordability driving disruption, and that no progress is real unless it is sustainable. Our company was founded in 2018 out of the realization that in-orbit servicing and space debris removal are vital services for the future of space exploration and operations. Today ClearSpace has assembled an expert engineering team and is leading the way toward sustainable space operations. From a garage in Switzerland, we now operate across UK and Europe, and are working with world-leading institutions and companies to bring our dream of a sustainable space ecosystem to life. We are looking for a Head of AIV/AIT & Industrialisation to join our team who will work on both our current missions and future projects. The Role At ClearSpace, AIV/AIT and Industrialisation are strategic pillars, not downstream activities: assembly, integration, verification and testing de-risk concepts early, turn hardware around quickly, and feed real test evidence back into design before a configuration is frozen. We're seeking an exceptional Head of AIV/AIT & Industrialisation to own our AIV/AIT strategy and industrialisation roadmap - building the organisation, infrastructure and test capabilities that take ClearSpace from early concept to flight-ready spacecraft and repeatable production, at pace and to the highest quality standards. Reporting to the CTO, you will own AIV/AIT and industrialisation across all programmes, from low-TRL breadboards to flight production. Working closely with System Architecture and Engineering, you'll translate verification requirements into executable integration and test strategies, and own the processes, facilities and organisation to deliver them. You'll build and lead a world-class team, establish the governance needed to scale, and serve as the primary AIV/AIT interface across Engineering, Programme Management, Quality and Supply Chain. Key responsibilities Embed AIV/AIT from the earliest stages of development: partner with design and systems teams at low TRL to shape architectures for integration and test, stand up breadboard and demonstrator test campaigns quickly, and use hardware evidence to retire technical risk early rather than confirming it late Define, own and evolve the ClearSpace AIV/AIT and Industrialisation roadmap, establishing the industrial vision, production strategy, facilities, processes and organisation required to support the full development path from low-TRL demonstrators through prototype (EM/QM) to repeatable multi-satellite flight production (FM), with clear targets for cost, quality, lead time and production rate Build, lead and develop the AIV/AIT team across three areas of capability: Industrialisation & Methods, AIT Production, and AIT Industrial Support; participate in recruitment, set objectives and conduct performance reviews Oversee all spacecraft and payload assembly, integration, verification and test campaigns across ClearSpace programmes, ensuring compliance with ECSS, EN9100 and ISO 9001 standards and applicable mission requirements Drive Design for Manufacturing, Assembly, Integration and Test (DFMA/DFAIT) across Engineering, ensuring that spacecraft and subsystem designs are conceived from the outset for efficient assembly, integration, verification, test and repeatable production. Lead manufacturability and testability analysis (DFMA/PFMEA); define and enforce readiness criteria at each programme milestone; oversee qualification of critical assembly and test processes Manage environmental test campaigns (thermal vacuum, vibration, acoustic, shock, EMC/EMI) from planning through execution and anomaly resolution; ensure availability of test facilities, GSE and tooling Own the strategy, development and operation of ClearSpace AIV/AIT infrastructure and test means, including FlatSats, EGSE, MGSE, test benches, cleanrooms, integration facilities and associated tooling; define the make-or-buy strategy for test capabilities and ensure their availability across programmes Enforce safety and workmanship standards including cleanroom protocols, ESD controls, and chemical/fluid safety; embed a strong safety culture across the AIV/AIT team Serve as the primary AIV/AIT and industrialisation interface with Engineering, System Architecture, Programme Management, Quality, and Supply Chain; assess industrial and AIT feasibility, schedule, resource and infrastructure implications of contractual commitments prior to contract signature; contribute to programme planning, commercial proposals and tender responses Own AIV/AIT capacity planning and associated CAPEX/OPEX, anticipating programme demand and defining the investments, facilities, equipment and external partnerships required to support ClearSpace’s growth Drive continuous improvement across AIV/AIT processes (feedback loops, standardisation, lessons learned); promote industrial innovation including automation of repetitive tasks and workplace ergonomics improvements Set the pace of hardware learning cycles: drive short build-test-fix loops, build in-house test capability where it removes external dependencies, and push the organisation towards decisions grounded in test data rather than analysis alone Must Have Degree (or equivalent) in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline; advanced degree or Chartered Engineer (CEng) status is advantageous 10+ years of experience in end-to-end management of AIV/AIT processes in the space industry, with at least 3 years in a leadership or management role Proven experience leading the ramp-up of a space production line, including the transition from prototype (EM/QM) to series flight production (FM) Demonstrated use of AIV/AIT early in the development cycle — low-TRL test campaigns, breadboards and demonstrators, rapid hardware iteration — and a track record of test results changing design decisions Strong knowledge of environmental test methods (TVAC, vibration, acoustic, shock, EMC/EMI) and associated standards (ECSS-E-ST-10-03, MIL-STD-1540 or equivalent) Proficiency in Lean Manufacturing, VSM, DFMA, PFMEA, QRQC and 8D methodologies; demonstrated experience in industrialisation and process standardisation Solid knowledge of ECSS, EN9100 and ISO 9001 standards; experience managing CAPEX/OPEX budgets and presenting to senior leadership Nice to have Experience in active debris removal, on-orbit servicing, rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), or other complex in-space mission programmes Relevant safety certifications: electrical safety accreditation (B2V/BE Testing), ESD awareness, and chemical/fluid risk awareness Familiarity with NewSpace development approaches, small satellite platforms, and agile programme management; experience in a scale-up environment is a strong advantage Information about our data processing is set out in our candidate data privacy notice.