Head of Plant

Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on site Until 8/23/2026 First posted March 12, 2026 Last posted March 12, 2026
Job description

About the role

Imagine walking into a factory that is about to become one of the most advanced production environments in aerospace and defense. Processes are being built, layouts are being designed, and every decision you make shapes how the entire plant will operate. As Head of Plant, you will design the backbone of production, transforming ideas into efficient, high performance manufacturing systems.

At Destinus, we are revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our innovative technologies are designed to meet the unique demands of modern defense operations, delivering unparalleled speed, precision, and cost effectiveness. Destinus partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations, enabling a new era of efficiency and technological superiority. Join us in shaping the future of defense with groundbreaking aerospace innovations.

What You´ll Do

·       Define and lead the industrial engineering strategy for the plant to enable scalable UAV manufacturing.

·       Design and implement the factory layout, including production zones, assembly lines, logistics areas, and testing facilities.

·       Establish efficient material flow, workstations, and production infrastructure to optimize throughput and operational efficiency.

·       Implement Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to drive continuous improvement and reduce waste.

·       Develop standardized manufacturing processes, work instructions, and process documentation to ensure repeatable quality.

·       Define production capacity planning models based on demand forecasts, equipment utilization, and workforce requirements.

·       Collaborate with product engineering teams to integrate Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA).

·       Establish and monitor production KPIs including throughput, efficiency, yield, downtime, and cost performance.

·       Implement manufacturing systems, automation opportunities, and digital monitoring tools to improve operational visibility.

·       Coordinate cross-functional collaboration between engineering, production, quality, and supply chain teams.

·       Support the transition from prototype development to full-scale production.

Identify production risks and operational bottlenecks and implement corrective actions to maintain production stability

Requirements

What You’ll Need

·       Define and lead the industrial engineering strategy for the plant to enable scalable UAV manufacturing.

·       Design and implement the factory layout, including production zones, assembly lines, logistics areas, and testing facilities.

·       Establish efficient material flow, workstations, and production infrastructure to optimize throughput and operational efficiency.

·       Implement Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to drive continuous improvement and reduce waste.

·       Develop standardized manufacturing processes, work instructions, and process documentation to ensure repeatable quality.

·       Define production capacity planning models based on demand forecasts, equipment utilization, and workforce requirements.

·       Collaborate with product engineering teams to integrate Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA).

·       Establish and monitor production KPIs including throughput, efficiency, yield, downtime, and cost performance.

·       Implement manufacturing systems, automation opportunities, and digital monitoring tools to improve operational visibility.

·       Coordinate cross-functional collaboration between engineering, production, quality, and supply chain teams.

·       Support the transition from prototype development to full-scale production.

Identify production risks and operational bottlenecks and implement corrective actions to maintain production stability

Who You Are

You thrive in environments where complex systems need to be built and optimized. You enjoy designing operations that run faster, smarter, and more efficiently. When others see production challenges, you see opportunities to engineer better processes. You are hands on, strategic, and motivated by the challenge of building a world class manufacturing environment from the ground up.

 

Benefits

Destinus is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity in our companies and our teams and do not discriminate based on age, race, religion, color, country of origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability status.

Destinus – Challenge the limits of time, space, and human potential

About this role

Summary

Lead factory design and optimize UAV manufacturing processes for efficiency and scalability.

Job title

Head of Plant

Experience level

senior level

Industry

aerospace

Location requirements

Düsseldorf, Germany; remote work not specified

Salary

Not specified

Management role

Yes

Skills & keywords

Required skills

factory layoutlean manufacturingSix Sigmaprocess documentationproduction planning

Preferred skills

None specified

Specializations

production systemsfactory layoutlean manufacturingautomationquality control
Locations

Structured locations inferred from the posting.

40 Düsseldorf, Germany

On-site City