Production Manager

About HyLight
At HyLight, we are reinventing aerial inspection to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent ecological disasters. We develop hydrogen-powered airships (dirigibles) dedicated to the automated monitoring of critical infrastructure (such as power lines and pipelines).
After successful initial flights and a growing interest from major European energy operators, we are accelerating. Our goal is clear: transition from a prototype phase to a robust, repeatable industrial production line.
We are looking for our first Production Manager to structure our workshop, lead our technicians, and drive our production ramp-up.

The Mission: What you will achieve
As our Head of Production, your main goal is to scale our manufacturing capabilities. You will transition HyLight from building initial operational units to a steady, predictable, and scalable industrial cadence to meet our ambitious delivery roadmap over the next few years.
You will be instrumental in separating daily production operations from pure R&D, implementing a structured, predictable, and quality-driven manufacturing process.

Key Responsibilities
1. Production Planning & Execution (Ramp-up)

• Take ownership of the master production schedule to drastically reduce current lead times and achieve our target cadence.
• Anticipate and secure the production of extra units and sub-assemblies to cover operational margins and testing needs.
• Coordinate closely with the Supply Chain and Purchasing team to align the delivery of key custom and off-the-shelf components with shop floor needs.

2. Workshop Management & Team Leadership

• Manage, mentor, and grow the technician team on the shop floor.
• Instill a rigorous production culture while keeping the agility and fast-paced mindset of a deep-tech startup.
• Implement daily shop floor routines based on standard industry frameworks (Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery) through quick stand-ups to eliminate daily roadblocks.

3. Process Optimization & Infrastructures

• Define, optimize, and document standard operating procedures (SOP) and assembly sequences ("Write what we do, do what we write").
• Structure the physical workshop layouts, tools, and infrastructure to optimize material flow and assembly efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to significantly increase the overall reliability and operational uptime of our airships.

4. Quality Collaboration & Cross-functional Routines

• Act as the direct counterpart to our Quality team and the CTO to enforce strict Quality Gates.
• Ensure that no subsystem enters production without full validation, and support the integration of advanced ground testing phases before any flight.
• Participate in daily management meetings to escalate roadblocks and implement immediate corrective actions.

About You

• Education: Engineering Degree (Master's / Bac+5) with a strong mechanical or aerospace background.

• Experience: 3 to 5 years of hands-on experience in production management, manufacturing engineering, or workshop scheduling, ideally within a hardware startup, scale-up, or demanding industrial environment (small series, aerospace, automotive, or robotics).

• Leadership: You know how to talk to, respect, and drive a team of technicians. You are structured but know how to roll up your sleeves when needed.

• Mindset: You thrive in fast-changing startup environments. You are obsessed with execution and delivery ("getting things done") while maintaining high professional standards.

• Languages: Fluent in French (shop floor daily operations) and professional English (interactions with international suppliers and partners).

  
  
  Why Join HyLight?

• High-Impact Mission: Direct contribution to decarbonizing industrial inspection and protecting environments.

• Ownership: You are the first pure Production hire; you will entirely design and build our assembly routines and factory culture.

• Deep Tech Adventure: Work on unique hardware integrating cutting-edge aerodynamics, custom structures, and hydrogen fuel cell technology.

• Location: Brétigny-sur-Orge / Région Parisienne

Recruitment Process

1. Screening Call (30 min) with our Talent/HR team or Head of Mechanical Engineering.
2. Technical & Situational Interview (60 min) to dive deep into your manufacturing experience.
3. On-site Visit & Team Meet to see our workshop, the current airships, and meet Josef (CTO) and the engineering team.
4. Final round with the CEO