Team Lead – Metal Processing (all genders)

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

THE WHAT
You own the metal liner. Every forming step, every weld, every machined surface that becomes a liner is your responsibility. You take over an existing team, develop it, and build the system that turns individual output into serial production performance.

You own team output and metal liner manufacturing development. You drive quality, throughput, process maturity, and team development. You ensure production is never blocked by a liner-side constraint.

You work with and drive the development of metal liner manufacturing technologies, including laser beam welding, friction stir welding, heat treatment, spin forming, flow forming and roll bending, ensuring these processes are reliable, repeatable, and ready for serial production.

THE WHY
To end COPV failure in spaceflight. No liner, no pressure vessel. No pressure vessel, no mission. The metal liner team is where production reliability begins — and where it can fail. This role exists to make sure it never does.

YOUR IMPACT
You don’t just run a team. You manufacture reliability.

You ensure:

• Metal liner manufacturing is precise and repeatable
• Your team has clear ownership and grows with the mission
• Production is never blocked by a liner-side constraint

Your tasks in detail and by priority

Own the existing team from day one. Develop it, drive output, and set the standard for quality and throughput.

→ Accountability: Own your impact. No passengers.

Drive new and improved forming, welding, and machining processes. Work with technologies such as laser beam welding, friction stir welding, heat treatment, spin forming, flow forming, and roll bending. Bring strong development experience yourself or work closely with a dedicated development expert to ensure the necessary technical expertise is covered.

→ High Performance: Build for scale. Design for repeatability.

Build a team that performs under pressure, gives direct feedback, and holds itself accountable — in line with our values.

→ Togetherness: One team. High bar for everyone.

Translate production schedules into team priorities. Unblock bottlenecks fast. Keep output on track.

→ Candor: Surface problems early. Solve them faster.

Identify and close gaps in manufacturing maturity. Push processes toward repeatability, documentation, and scale.

→ Playfulness: Experiment. Learn fast. Improve relentlessly.

YOUR PROFILE

Must-Haves

• Full responsibility for your team’s output
• MSc in Engineering — Aerospace, Mechanical, or equivalent
• Strong foundation in metal liner manufacturing and metal processing
• Experience in serial production and understanding of repeatability, throughput and scalability
• Fully on-site. This role leads by being there
• English C1 minimum, German B1 minimum

Relevant metal liner manufacturing technologies:

• Laser beam welding
• Friction stir welding (FSW)
• Heat treatment
• Spin forming
• Flow forming
• Roll bending

WHAT WE OFFER

• Choose your own benefit: Germany ticket, Egym Wellpass, or a tax-free Give Card
• Healthy & social lunch culture: Fresh meals during shared lunch breaks
• High level of autonomy & real impact: You own a critical seam in the business — between what we sell and what we build
• Startup mindset meets aerospace innovation: Flat hierarchies, fast decisions, and space for your ideas
• Stunning views: Rooftop terrace with views of the Alps in Taufkirchen, or indoor garden in Garching-Hochbrück
• Growth opportunities: Work on technically demanding projects with real stakes
• We live our team culture: From tech talks to team events and after-work gatherings — we celebrate success together

About us

Blackwave designs, manufactures and ships flight-qualified, commercial off-the-shelf composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) for launch vehicles and satellites. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, the company delivers COPVs from a standardized portfolio with flight heritage. The approach reduces lead time from months to days while ensuring that each tank is qualified and flight-ready. Blackwave's mission is to end COPV failure in spaceflight. The company employs more than 150 people across manufacturing facilities in Germany and Texas.

More information at Blackwave.com and the procurement platform COPV.com.