Head of Manufacturing
Lead manufacturing strategy and operations for a robotics startup building solar farm construction systems. Own production facility setup, team building, NPI, and scaling from prototype to repeatable production.
About the job
Responsibilities
- Build, lead, and grow a world-class manufacturing team; align manufacturing strategy with company goals and roadmap
- Own the operationalization of the production facility end-to-end (site readiness, equipment, workflows, safety, and staffing)
- Build and maintain a manufacturing engineering org in close lockstep with design engineering to ensure HQ builds, facility production, and field deployments are efficient and continuously optimized for manufacturability
- Own the NPI process to ensure smooth handoffs from development into production
- Collaborate with supply chain to drive COGS reduction over time through DFM feedback, process optimization, and yield improvement
- Establish manufacturing processes, documentation, and organizational design (including BOMs, drawings, part qualification, and supplier quality)
- Internally and externally represent the manufacturing function to key stakeholders including employees, customers, executives, and investors
- Own EHS compliance and safety culture at the production facility
Requirements
- 10+ years of professional experience, including 3+ years in a manufacturing leadership role, including standing up and operationalizing a production facility
- Experience bringing complex electromechanical systems, especially those involving metal fabrication, rigging, or heavy machinery, from prototype to production
- Familiarity with DFM, DFA, and/or GD&T principles; experience sourcing and qualifying suppliers and contract manufacturers
- Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills; ability to communicate clearly across engineers, suppliers, technicians, and leadership
- Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, in-person startup environment; can roll up sleeves when needed while maintaining context of broader organizational goals
- Based in or able to relocate to the SF Bay Area; able to work 4-5 days/week from San Leandro HQ
- Open to ~20% travel (including field deployments and production facility)
- Excited to personally play a part in mitigating climate change
Nice-to-Haves
- Bachelor's and/or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
- Experience in automation, robotics, or capital equipment manufacturing
- Experience working with solar or construction industry technologies
- Familiarity with high-complexity, low-volume production environments
- Experience with ION manufacturing software
Skills
DFM, Dfa, GD&T, Npi, Bom Management, Supplier Qualification, Metal Fabrication, Electromechanical Systems, Manufacturing Engineering, Ehs Compliance
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