Head of AIT In-Orbit Service (F/M)

About Exotrail

Born from a strong ambition to reach for the stars, Exotrail is a fast-growing scale-up founded in 2017. Its mission: to develop and commercialise propulsion systems for small satellites on a global scale.

We design products focused on impact, fast delivery, and continuous improvement. Inspired by the digital world, we are firmly customer-oriented and driven by an entrepreneurial spirit. We manage risks to push boundaries and achieve results that would not be possible within a traditional space model. We deploy every necessary resource to support the development of our products, whether in propulsion or in-orbit services. Strengthened by an innovative mindset inherited from our early days, we are preparing to grow into an ambitious industrial company.

Job Description

We are looking for a Head of Assembly Integration & Testing (AIT) at our Massy site. Attached to the In-Orbit Service Team , you will be responsible for the design, deployment, and sustained performance of the AIT department within the In-Orbit Service Business Unit. Their main mission is to create the industrial capacity enabling Exotrail to transition from small-scale production to a multi-satellite industrial production rate, ensuring that each programme has an AIT organisation that is repeatable, scalable and compliant with space industry standards.

Responsibilities

• Managing the department, defining the industrial vision, and structuring the organisation around 3 divisions (Industrialisation and Methods, AIT Production, AIT Industrial Support).
• Prioritising tasks, allocating resources and managing industrial risks.
• Ensuring production capacity (throughput, quality, lead times) and driving industrial maturity (standardisation, product ranges, GSE, methods). Serves as the main interface between the AIT department and Exotrail’s Engineering, Programme, Quality and Supply Chain teams, as well as with the Spaceware department to promote the sharing of industrial best practices.
• Team Management – Participate in the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of team members; set objectives, conduct annual performance reviews, support team development; lead and manage the team, implement effective processes, handle conflict situations when necessary.
• Industrial Ramp-up & industrialisation – Define and implement the AIT industrial strategy in line with IOS objectives; oversee the Value Stream Mapping analysis; define and monitor industrial KPI, manage department budget; develop the department's roadmap; organise delegation to team leaders and managers to avoid bottlenecks. Lead manufacturability and testability analysis; define and ensure readiness compliance at each step; oversee qualification of critical assembly and test processes to validate key industrial decisions; coordinate with Spaceware to leverage synergies between production lines and tooling.
• Coordinating AIT activities & governance – Plan and organise multi-program integration & testing; ensure compliance with project milestones; ensure production of deliverables; implement departmental governance on these 3 levels: Level 1 (line management, daily), Level 2 (departmental, daily), Level 3 (strategic, weekly); define decision-making and escalation levels using a RACI matrix. Report to the VP with identified risks and areas for improvement.
• Resources, infrastructure & Quality – Identify requirements for test and integration resources, oversee their development and ensure qualification and traceability; ensure the availability of internal facilities and oversee logistics and stock management. Define & enforce quality and safety standards in accordance with ECSS, EN9100 and ISO 9001 standards. Ensure the safety culture of the AIT teams & strict application of ISO8 cleanroom standards as well as chemical and fluid safety.
• Commercial & improvement – Ensure the AIT feasibility of contractual commitments before signing (assessing capacity, risks, investments, schedules); being the key point of contact for Programme Managers (providing workload estimates, schedules); identifying risks and mitigating them. Contribute to drafting commercial proposals and tender responses requiring an assessment of AIT capacities. Lead the continuous improvement (feedback, standardisation of processes) and promote industrial innovations (automation of repetitive tasks; workplace ergonomics).

Preferred Experience

• 10+ years of experience in end to end management of AIT processes.
• Proven experience in ramping up a space production line (transition from prototypes (EM, QM) to series production (FM)).
• Certified: Electrical safety accreditation B2V/BE Testing; chemical risk awareness (mandatory); ESD awareness (mandatory).
• Proficiency in Lean Manufacturing, VSM, QRQC, 8D and PFMEA methodologies; experience in industrialisation and DFMA principles.
• Knowledge of ECSS, EN9100, ISO 9001 standards and Aero Excellence guidelines; solid grounding in CAPEX/OPEX budget management.
• Strong skills in technical supervision, problem-solving and root cause analysis.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to align and inspire multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent communication skills in both French & English.
• Ability to work autonomously in demanding and regulated environments as well as decision-making under uncertainty. Experience in a scale-up environment or mindset is a strong advantage.