Head of Production, MAITE Finland

Job description

ROLE HIGHLIGHTS: - Head of Production, MAITE Finland - Location: Espoo, Finland (on-site) - Department: MAITE (Manufacturing and AIT) — Production; Global Manufacturing Organisation - Reports to: Director of MAITE Finland - Employment type: Permanent - Workplace model: Office - Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required) WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS ICEYE is looking for a Head of Production to lead and scale the satellite production organization in MAITE Finland. This is one of the most consequential leadership roles in the company, the person in this role will be directly responsible for taking ICEYE's production from its current rate to 120+ satellites per year, while maintaining the quality and discipline that space hardware demands. MAITE Production encompasses two major flows: subsystem production, a global supply function feeding programs across multiple international sites, and SAR satellite integration and validation, a build-to-launch flow delivering complete satellites directly to the launch manifest. Both are high-care production lines requiring the same rigorous operational discipline and production mastery. We are not looking for someone who maintains the status quo. We are looking for someone who knows exactly what world-class production looks like, can see the gap between where we are and where we need to be, and has the drive and experience to close it. WHO WE ARE ICEYE is the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space. We deliver persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth. ICEYE owns the world's largest and most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation. To our customers we provide intelligence with unmatched quality, latency and revisit times, in any weather, day or night. To governments who choose to operate their own constellation we provide this proven capability as a sovereign system. ICEYE-built constellations serve customers in defence and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance and emergency management. We enable fast decisions that contribute to a safer future. Founded and headquartered in Finland, ICEYE operates globally with over 1000 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. YOUR DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES LEAD AND DEVELOP THE PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION - Own the full production output of MAITE Finland, from subsystem production through SAR satellite integration and validation, through to delivery to the launch manifest. - Manage production team leads directly, building a high-performing, accountable, and continuously improving organization. - Set the standard for how production is run, in terms of discipline, quality, pace, and team culture. - Grow the team as production rate increases, ensuring the right structure, skills, and capacity are in place ahead of demand. DRIVE PRODUCTION RATE AND PERFORMANCE - Own the production schedule and delivery targets, ensuring satellites are built and delivered on time, at the right quality, every time. - Monitor and manage key production metrics, throughput, cycle time, yield, first-pass quality, and on-time delivery, and drive systematic improvement across all of them. - Identify bottlenecks, risks, and constraints before they become problems, and act on them decisively. - Ensure the production system is designed and operated to scale, from 50 to 75 to 120+ satellites per year, without sacrificing quality or control. IMPLEMENT AND EMBED WORLD-CLASS PRODUCTION PRINCIPLES - Lead the transformation of MAITE production towards a true pull-based, one piece flow-driven manufacturing system, applying Lean principles not as a methodology exercise but as a practical, daily operating discipline. - Drive the implementation of 6S, visual management, standard work, and continuous flow across all production lines. - Champion the shift from milestone-driven production to a flow-based model driven by stock levels, takt time, and replenishment rates. OWN QUALITY IN PRODUCTION - Take full ownership of production quality, from in-process quality gates to final acceptance. This means zero tolerance for systemic quality failures and a production system designed to catch and prevent defects, not just detect them. - Work closely with AIT Engineering and Quality to ensure that production procedures, tooling, and test setups are robust, repeatable, and up to date. - Lead root cause analysis and corrective action on production anomalies, closing the loop with Engineering and ensuring lessons learned are captured and embedded. COLLABORATE ACROSS THE MAITE ORGANIZATION - Work closely with all MAITE functions, Stock Management, AIT Engineering, Smart Manufacturing, production planner, to ensure seamless flow, clear boundaries, and continuous improvement across the full value chain. - Represent production with clarity and confidence in senior leadership discussions, project reviews, and cross-functional forums. WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR MUST HAVES: This role requires a rare combination of deep production mastery, strong leadership, and the energy to drive a high-growth organization through a fundamental scaling event. We are not looking for someone who has built satellites before, we are looking for someone who has built production systems that deliver complex, high-value, low-volume hardware at scale, with zero tolerance for defects. - 10+ years of experience in production, manufacturing operations, or industrial engineering, with a strong track record of leading production teams through scaling phases. - Proven mastery of Lean manufacturing principles, not as a certification, but as a daily operating philosophy. You should be able to give concrete, specific examples of how you have implemented pull systems, standard work, visual management, and flow-based production in real environments. - Experience leading and developing teams of 30+ people, including managing team leads and building organizational capability, not just maintaining it. - A background in industries that produce complex, high-value, low-volume hardware under strict quality requirements. - Deep understanding of production quality, from supplier quality through in-process control to final acceptance. You have seen quality systems at multiple stages of maturity and know what good looks like. - Experience working in a production environment that was scaling fast, where you had to go fast and improve at the same time, and where the production system had to be built as the product was being built. - Strong communication skills across all levels, equally comfortable on the production floor with technicians and in a boardroom with executives. You bring clarity, not complexity. - High energy, high standards, and a genuine drive to build something exceptional. You are not here to maintain, you are here to transform. APPLICATION PROCESS - Talent Screening - Hiring Manager interview - Task Assignment and Presentation - Final interview WORKING AT ICEYE At ICEYE, you’ll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale-up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win. HOW WE WORK (OUR VALUES) Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way. - Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the “why” behind decisions. - See the big picture: Stay close to what’s happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others. - Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions. - Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift. - Have fun: What we do matters—and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins. BENEFITS Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing, at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Acquisition will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process. Base salary range for this position is dependent on experience, and will be negotiated individually. OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up. Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table. We’re committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us—we’ll do our best to help. Apply now to start your ICEYE journey, and help us continue to make the impossible possible together. Read more about ICEYE and working with us at iceye.com http://iceye.com.