Manufacturing Controls Lead in München

We're partnering with a fast-growing European defence and advanced engineering company to appoint a Manufacturing Controls Lead - Core Automation as they build and scale a new generation of highly complex manufacturing capability in Munich.

Our client is developing mission-critical hardware at the intersection of aerospace, defence and advanced manufacturing, operating in an environment where engineering speed, reliability and manufacturing quality are fundamental.

This is a genuinely greenfield opportunity.

Rather than inheriting an established controls architecture, you'll help define how automation and controls are implemented across the manufacturing organisation - setting standards, selecting technologies, integrating equipment and helping establish the foundations for future production scale.

The Role

You will take ownership of the core manufacturing controls architecture and help establish the standards that will underpin future production systems.

Responsibilities will include:

• Establishing the baseline architecture and standards for the manufacturing controls platform
• Defining PLC, controls hardware and component standards across manufacturing systems
• Building relationships with key automation and controls suppliers and establishing preferred component lists
• Developing controls specifications for equipment manufacturers, machine builders and line integrators
• Supporting the integration of production equipment with MES and enterprise-level systems
• Ensuring reliable data flow and continuity between shop-floor equipment and higher-level manufacturing systems
• Working closely with Manufacturing Engineering and Operations to capture production requirements and translate them into controls solutions
• Collaborating with Quality and Data Engineering teams to capture critical process data and establish manufacturing traceability
• Developing PLC/code standards, templates and frameworks for external integrators and equipment suppliers
• Defining FAT/SAT requirements covering controls functionality, performance and safety
• Working with international equipment vendors and automation integrators to deliver production, supervision and test systems
• Producing clear technical documentation covering architecture, software, specifications and engineering decisions
• Acting as a senior technical problem-solver across complex manufacturing programmes

What We're Looking For

We're interested in speaking with experienced Automation / Controls Engineers or Technical Leads who have worked within complex, highly automated manufacturing environments.

You will ideally bring:

• Significant hands-on experience within industrial automation and manufacturing controls
• Strong PLC and controls engineering fundamentals
• Understanding of manufacturing system architecture from PLC-level controls through to MES integration
• Experience working with machine builders, equipment manufacturers and systems integrators
• Exposure to FAT, SAT, equipment commissioning and production ramp-up
• Experience developing automation standards, specifications or preferred architectures
• The ability to operate effectively within a greenfield environment where standards and processes are still being established
• Strong cross-functional capability across Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Quality, Data and Software teams
• A pragmatic engineering mindset focused on delivering robust systems without unnecessary complexity

Experience within aerospace, defence, space, automotive, robotics, advanced manufacturing or other high-performance engineering environments would be particularly relevant.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to join a highly ambitious engineering organisation at a stage where individual hires can have a significant influence on how the manufacturing organisation is built.

The company is well-funded, growing quickly and developing technically demanding hardware programmes with significant long-term production requirements.

You'll work alongside experienced engineers across manufacturing, mechanical engineering, operations, quality and software, with considerable autonomy over the decisions within your area.

The environment is highly technical, fast-moving and delivery-focused, with an emphasis on engineering judgement rather than excessive process or hierarchy.

The package includes competitive compensation and meaningful equity participation, reflecting the level of responsibility and impact expected from the role.

Working model: On-site

Employment: Full-time

If you're an experienced controls or automation engineer who wants to help build a manufacturing architecture from the ground up rather than simply maintain an existing system, we'd be interested in speaking with you.

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