Lead Industrialisation Engineer

IONATE is a deep tech scale-up building the hardware and software backbone for smart grids. Our mission is to transform power systems - from grids and microgrids to renewables and data centres - unlocking the massive potential in this under-innovated sector that touches every aspect of our modern lives.

We are now looking for a Lead Industrialisation Engineer to join our Operations team and lead the transition of the Hybrid Intelligent Transformer (HIT) from engineering builds into safe, repeatable UK manufacturing and ultimately scaled contract manufacturing. This is a senior, hands‑on role providing technical leadership across industrialisation activities, bridging Engineering and Operations to enable successful scale‑up into production.

Working between Engineering and Operations, you will play a key role in Engineering‑led NPI, translating approved product designs into safe, repeatable manufacturing processes. You will identify changes needed for industrialisation, develop practical manufacturing proposals and coordinate approved changes into production. While the role has no direct reports initially, you will lead through technical expertise, collaboration and influence across these organisations.

• Lead industrialisation delivery. Develop and maintain the industrialisation plan for approved products, coordinate actions between Engineering and Operations, and prepare the evidence and recommendations needed for production‑readiness reviews.
• Establish manufacturing concepts. Translate approved product and manufacturing strategies into practical build concepts, process requirements, equipment needs, capacity assumptions and implementation plans. Present options and recommendations to Operations leadership for approval.
• Own manufacturing equipment delivery. Ensure equipment is safe, capable, maintainable and ready for production.
• Lead manufacturing readiness documentation. Bring together the approved Engineering and Operations information needed to build and release the product consistently, including work instructions, routings, inspection requirements and test instructions. Track gaps, owners and approval status.
• Facilitate design for manufacture and assembly. Lead practical DFM and DFA reviews between Engineering and Operations, quantify the manufacturing impact of proposed changes, and submit required product changes through the engineering change process. Engineering retains approval authority.
• Manage production‑readiness risks. Maintain visibility of industrialisation risks and coordinate closure of agreed actions covering manufacturing processes, tooling, safety, quality and capability evidence. Escalate unresolved risks for decision by the relevant Engineering or Operations owner.
• Support manufacturing builds. Coordinate industrialisation preparation for early builds, work directly with engineers and technicians, capture issues at source, and help improve first‑pass yield, cycle time, labour hours, defects and rework.
• Implement approved configuration changes. Manage the implementation and effectivity of approved changes within Operations so each serialised unit has an accurate build record, and each change takes effect at a defined serial number, lot, date or build stage.
• Lead manufacturing‑partner transfer. Prepare and execute the technical industrialisation work package for manufacturing partners, including process documentation, equipment, training and readiness evidence. Support Operations leadership in transfer approval and ramp decisions.
• Drive industrialisation readiness. Maintain industrialisation milestones, actions, risks and key build metrics. Provide clear evidence of readiness and recommend priorities to Engineering and Operations.