Director of Engineering Operations (f/m/d)

Kurz zusammengefasst

Focused Energy is a fast‑growing clean‑energy company developing laser‑driven inertial fusion to deliver commercial‑scale power. Backed by a $240 million Series A round, the firm operates in Germany and the United States, bringing together leading scientists and engineers to turn fusion research into a sustainable electricity source. The Director of Engineering Operations will create and maintain repeatable processes for Mechanical, Electrical and Controls engineering. Core duties include owning engineering planning, workload and capacity reporting, managing configuration and release administration (Inventor licensing, Autodesk Vault, Jama), and establishing supplier‑quality and non‑conformance procedures. The role also coordinates technical readiness with supply‑chain engineers, partners with Systems Engineering, Systems Integration, Commercial Procurement and the PMO, and builds the Engineering Quality Lead and Supplier Quality Engineer capabilities as they are approved. To succeed, candidates must have hands‑on experience in engineering configuration, release and change control within a hardware environment, and be familiar with PLM/PDM tools such as Jama, Autodesk Vault or Inventor. They need a proven track record of running supplier technical coordination and quality or non‑conformance processes, including maintaining auditable records. Demonstrated ability to plan and manage engineering capacity across multiple disciplines, as well as leadership experience managing managers or senior specialists and fostering process ownership, is required. Clear, candid communication with senior leaders and sound judgement for escalating cross‑functional trade‑offs are also essential. Preferred qualifications include a background in systems engineering or integration on complex hardware programmes, experience building a new quality function from a small base, and familiarity with German engineering and supplier environments together with German language fluency. Additional nice‑to‑haves are experience with Autodesk licensing administration, capacity‑based planning tools, and reporting engineering readiness and risk to integration or programme leadership. Focused Energy offers a collaborative, international environment with top‑tier scientists and engineers, a competitive salary plus stock options, 30 vacation days, generous retirement contributions, modern equipment, and a range of wellbeing benefits such as flexible commuting, gym access and regular team events. The Darmstadt office provides a daily canteen, snacks and drinks, and the company is committed to equal opportunity and inclusive hiring practices. What the role asks for: - Experience in engineering configuration, release and change control (hardware) - Hands‑on knowledge of Jama, Autodesk Vault or Inventor (or similar PLM/PDM) - Experience running supplier technical coordination and quality processes - Proven ability to plan and manage engineering capacity across disciplines - Leadership experience managing managers or senior specialists - Clear communication with senior leaders and escalation judgement - Nice‑to‑have: background in systems engineering or integration - Nice‑to‑have: experience standing up a new quality function - Nice‑to‑have: familiarity with German engineering environment and fluency in German - Nice‑to‑have: Autodesk licensing or enterprise tool administration experience - Nice‑to‑have: capacity‑based planning methods and tools experience