Join our fast-paced and passionate team as a
Director, Automated Manufacturing Operations to lead the operationalization, scaling, and daily execution of our next-generation automated assembly and optical packaging platforms. As we scale, you will be instrumental in building our operational foundation from the ground up. This is a dynamic, hands-on role for a self-starter who thrives in a fluid startup environment. In this key leadership role, you will bridge hardware development and high-precision production by driving the strategy, architecture, and execution for fully automated manufacturing lines capable of assembling complex quantum optics modules, photonics components, and precision hardware.
You will lead a multidisciplinary team focused on operations, manufacturing engineering, equipment maintenance, and factory floor execution to transition cutting-edge R&D prototypes into highly scalable, robust, and automated production processes.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:Strategic Leadership:
- Define and execute the operational roadmap for automated manufacturing, precision robotic assembly stations, and high-yield automated testing across Monarch Quantum's photonics and quantum hardware product lines.
Team Building & Management: - Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-performing operations team.
Production Planning & Execution: - Own Production OTD (On-Time Delivery) planning, ensuring seamless production deliverables from known good parts to known good product.
Factory Operations & Material Flow:
- Drive production optimization, daily monitoring, material flow, Work-in-Progress (WIP) tracking, and effective operations resource allocation and management.
Equipment Maintenance & Uptime: - Oversee production equipment maintenance, uptime monitoring, optimization, and first-level production failure troubleshooting to maximize factory throughput.
Quality, Inspection & MRB Management: - Oversee production quality, in-process inspection, Quality Control (QC) steps, and Material Review Board (MRB) management.
Yield, Scrap & Utilization Analytics: - Track and analyze statistics and data regarding yield, scrap rates, and equipment utilization to continuously optimize factory performance.
Automated Process & Tooling Development: - Drive the deployment, maintenance, and continuous optimization of automated pick-and-place, active/passive optical alignment, micro-assembly, packaging, and high-precision laser alignment machinery.
Design for Manufacturability (DFM/DFA): - Partner closely with R&D, Process Development, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Firmware/Software teams to ensure new product architectures are optimized for automated high-volume production, cycle time reduction, and yields.
NPI & Scale-Up Operations: - Oversee New Product Introduction (NPI) manufacturing operations, transforming benchtop research setups into standardized, automated factory-floor workflows.
Documentation & Configuration Management: - Maintain rigorous work instructions, production documentation, and configuration management controls.
Facility & Lab Management: - Oversee production lab management, including cleanroom protocols, gowning room consumables, and operational safety.
Vendor & Equipment Management:
- Identify, select, and manage relationships with key capital equipment vendors, custom machine builders, contract manufacturers, and component suppliers to ensure equipment uptime and spare parts availability.
Continuous Improvement: - Spearhead continuous improvement initiatives across all manufacturing processes, leveraging data and lean principles.
Budgeting & Programmatic - Tracking: Manage capital expenditure (CapEx), operating budgets (OpEx), factory labor, and operational metrics, delivering automation milestones on schedule and within budget constraints.
RequirementsPlease Note: This position requires access to export-controlled information. Employment is contingent upon the applicant being a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3).
Education- Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechatronics, Operations Management, or a related technical discipline.
Experience- 12+ years of professional experience in automated manufacturing operations, high-precision assembly, or industrial engineering, with at least 5+ years in a direct operations management or manufacturing leadership capacity.
Technical Depth- Proven track record of scaling and managing fully automated manufacturing lines, industrial robotics, factory operations, or semiconductor/photonics packaging facilities.
Desired Skills and Experience- Optoelectronics & Photonics Operations: Deep expertise in running high-precision production lines for micro-optics assembly, active fiber coupling, photonic integrated circuit (PIC) packaging, or laser manufacturing.
- Robotics & Factory Systems: Familiarity with precision motion control, PLC/industrial controllers, machine vision systems, and factory execution software integration (MES, SCADA, ERP).
- Yield & Quality Leadership: Hands-on mastery of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma tools, Root Cause Analysis (8D/Fishbone), SPC, GR&R, and Design of Experiments (DOE).
- Scale-Up Track Record: Experience scaling an advanced hardware startup's operations into a mature, repeatable, and high-volume manufacturing facility.
Work Environment- Location: 100% On-site at Monarch Quantum headquarters in San Diego, CA.
- Environment: Cleanroom, optical assembly lab, and precision electronics manufacturing facilities.
BenefitsThe expected annual salary range for this position is $185,000-$235,000.
As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for Monarch's comprehensive benefits package, which includes:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
- Fidelity 401(k) plan with 4% employer matching
- 20 paid time off (PTO) days per year
- 13 paid company holidays
- 9/80 work schedule (every other Friday off)
