Engineering Supply Chain Manager (Mechanical)

Job description

ROLE HIGHLIGHTS - Engineering Supply Chain Manager (Mechanical) - Location: Netherlands - Department: Global Supply Chain - Reports to: R&D Supply Chain Manager - Employment type: Permanent - Workplace model: Office/On-site - Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)     THE MISSION OF THE ENGINEERING SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGER (MECHANICAL) As our Engineering Supply Chain Manager (Mechanical), you'll join our fast-moving Global Supply Chain organization and work closely with our hardware engineering teams as they design and build mechanical systems and structures on tight and shifting timelines. You'll be an active part of our engineering projects, helping to execute them and staying ahead of supply. That means identifying long lead items, critical materials and complex parts as early as possible in the process, and securing them before they become bottlenecks for testing and builds. When machining capacity, material availability, special process queues or a late design change threaten a prototype schedule, we need you to act. Our development cycles are fast and iterations are constantly occurring since we thrive on pushing the technology for the best. You'll also be a key link between Engineering and Production. You'll communicate R&D supply chain risks and the critical parts and materials you've identified to Production, so nothing comes as a surprise at handover. Your work supports the success of every engineering prototype iteration and at the same time prepares Production for rollout and mass production. This role suits someone who is proactive by nature, with a solution driven mindset and a deep understanding of mechanical manufacturing processes, materials and hardware prototyping, who is comfortable with ambiguity and acts before problems arrive rather than waiting for them. How quickly we get from concept to working hardware in orbit, and then into production, depends on how well this role is done. WHO WE ARE ICEYE is the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space. We deliver persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth. ICEYE owns the world's largest and most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation. To our customers we provide intelligence with unmatched quality, latency and revisit times, in any weather, day or night. To governments who choose to operate their own constellation we provide this proven capability as a sovereign system. ICEYE-built constellations serve customers in defence and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance and emergency management. We enable fast decisions that contribute to a safer future. Founded and headquartered in Finland, ICEYE operates globally with over 1000 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.     YOUR DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES HIGH-VELOCITY ENGINEERING SUPPORT - Serve as the hands-on supply chain counterpart for fast-paced mechanical engineering teams working on multiple, rapidly evolving hardware projects. - Identify long lead items, critical raw materials and complex parts as early as possible, and secure them proactively (early orders, material reservation, capacity booking, buffer stock, coating readiness, securing helicoils) before they can delay a project. - Translate early-stage concepts, evolving BOMs, and mid-design changes into actionable sourcing steps with minimal delay. - Provide engineers with real-time insights on material availability, components availability and quick-turn manufacturing options. - Identify supply issues before they become blockers and propose workaround paths immediately. RAPID SOURCING & PROCUREMENT EXECUTION - Own project procurement of CNC machined parts, structural elements and composite parts, mechanisms, motors, fasteners, bearings, thermal hardware and raw materials, including related special processes such as heat treatment, surface treatments and coatings. - Run fast quoting and supplier selection so prototype and builds get their parts and materials on the dates engineering committed to. - Lead efforts to find alternative suppliers, processes or materials within hours, not weeks, when capacity or material shortages occur. - Set stock levels and material availability plans for development and prototype builds. SUPPLIER INTERACTION & TECHNICAL ENGAGEMENT - Worked closely with machine shops and composite fabricators, special process providers and material distributors, and worked with them to understand lead time constraints, manufacturing capabilities, DFM implications and fast-track build options. - Support technical capability assessments of machining, special process suppliers, and material distributors. - Negotiate priority machine time, expedited processing and shipments, and secure prototypes under compressed timelines. CROSS-FUNCTIONAL START-UP COLLABORATION - Coordinate across engineering, manufacturing, program management, and operations to remove obstacles and maintain build readiness. - Maintain complete visibility into prototype schedules, engineering changes, and material risks, communicating clearly and frequently. - Operate with a bias for action: if something is unclear, you chase it; if something breaks, you fix it; if something is missing, you find it. AGILITY, RISK MANAGEMENT & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT - Build and maintain a living view of supply risks across all active projects, including capacity constraints, raw material availability, single-source suppliers, special process bottlenecks and export restrictions and qualify alternatives early. - Keep purchasing details accurate in the ERP system, with clean traceability and build readiness status that the organisation can rely on, even under fast-moving conditions. - Bring an experimentation mindset: test new suppliers, new sourcing channels, new manufacturing partners, and new tools to reduce lead times and cost. R&D TO PRODUCTION READINESS - Communicate R&D supply chain risks and identified critical parts and materials to Production early and clearly, so they are known well before handover. - Support the success and rapid iteration of engineering prototypes while preparing Production for rollout and mass production. - Make sure critical and long lead parts, qualified suppliers and special processes, and realistic lead times and capacity are in place before a design moves into series production. - Help build the sourcing foundations that will carry a design from prototype into repeatable production. WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR MUST HAVES: - 5+ years of direct experience in mechanical sourcing, procurement or engineering supply chain roles in fast-moving hardware environments. - Strong procurement understanding of machined and composites parts, special processes, engineering materials and prototyping flows. - Demonstrated ability to work effectively in startup-like conditions: tight deadlines, shifting priorities, incomplete information, and rapid cycles. - Hands-on experience running purchasing and material management through an ERP system. - Confident negotiator, commercially and technically, able to influence engineers, program managers and suppliers without formal authority. - Strong communication, problem-solving, and negotiation abilities. NICE TO HAVES: - Experience in space, aerospace, defence, hardware startups or other deep-tech R&D environments. - Engineering Mechanical Background, knowledge of the tools (such as CAD) and technical understanding/background of designs. - Exposure to taking a hardware design from prototype into series production. - Existing relationships with machine shops, fabricators, special process providers and material distributors. Familiarity with rapid-prototyping suppliers and global component marketplaces APPLICATION PROCESS - Talent Acquisition Interview - Hiring Manager interview - Task Stage - Task-based interview - Final Interview WORKING AT ICEYE At ICEYE, you’ll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale-up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win. HOW WE WORK (OUR VALUES) Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way. - Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the “why” behind decisions. - See the big picture: Stay close to what’s happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others. - Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions. - Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift. - Have fun: What we do matters—and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins. BENEFITS Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing, at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Attraction will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process. Base salary range for this position is dependent on experience, and will be negotiated individually. OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up. Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table. We’re committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us—we’ll do our best to help. Apply now to start your ICEYE journey, and help us continue to make the impossible possible together. Read more about ICEYE and working with us at iceye.com http://iceye.com.