Robotics Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies. We aim to achieve technological leadership, so that open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions and control their ethical standards.

As democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI. We take this responsibility seriously.

We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer-facing programme managers. We are looking for mission-driven people to join our European teams – and apply their skills to solve the most complex and impactful problems. We embrace an open and transparent culture that welcomes healthy debates on the use of technology in defence, its benefits, and its ethical implications.

Based in Barcelona, this role sits at the boundary between engineering innovation and production reality, bridging prototype development and scalable manufacture for Helsing's robotics portfolio. You will collaborate closely with mechanical design engineers to ensure that novel robotic systems can be built efficiently, reliably, and at scale, applying DFM and DFA principles from the earliest design stages. Working across engineering, quality, and supply chain functions, you will turn complex design intent into production processes that hold up in the real world

The day-to-day

• Lead the transition from prototype to production-ready designs, applying DFM and DFA principles to redesign components and assemblies for improved manufacturability, cost efficiency, quality, and reliability across CNC machining, sheet metal, injection moulding, and additive manufacturing

• Develop, document, and optimise manufacturing processes, work instructions, bills of materials, and assembly procedures, building the production infrastructure needed to scale robotic systems from low volume to repeatable, high-quality output

• Specify, procure, and develop fixturing, tooling, and manufacturing equipment, ensuring assembly processes are well-supported and production-ready from day one

• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and quality teams to surface and resolve manufacturing issues early in the design cycle, reducing downstream cost and rework through structured problem-solving and continuous improvement

• Drive improvement initiatives across efficiency, quality, and cost reduction, using data from production builds to inform design iteration and process refinement

You should apply if you

• Have delivered manufacturing processes for complex mechanical or electromechanical products, with a verifiable track record of taking designs from prototype through to scalable production in high-mix, low-to-medium volume environments

• Bring deep technical knowledge of DFM and DFA across CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, injection-moulded plastics, and additive manufacturing, with the ability to redesign components to reduce cost and improve yield without compromising performance

• Are proficient in 3D CAD modelling, ideally SolidWorks, and experienced in producing manufacturing documentation including BOMs, work instructions, and drawing packages to production-grade standards

• Have specified and procured manufacturing equipment, tools, and fixtures, and understand how to build the production infrastructure needed to support repeatable, quality-consistent assembly

• Communicate clearly across mechanical