About The JobWe are looking for an experienced and technically deep Manufacturing Engineering Manager to lead and grow our manufacturing engineering team. This role is critical to scaling the production of cutting-edge edge compute systems; building on the hands-on engineering work that drives our product quality and reliability.
As a player-coach, you will guide a team of manufacturing engineers while staying closely connected to technical execution. You will partner with design engineering, supply chain, and contract manufacturers to establish world-class manufacturing practices, drive NPI success, and deliver continuous operational improvement across our hardware portfolio.
Key Responsibilities:Team Leadership & Development- Lead, mentor, and grow a team of manufacturing engineers, setting clear goals and fostering a culture of technical excellence and ownership.
- Conduct performance reviews, manage hiring, and build team capacity in alignment with product and program roadmaps.
- Serve as a technical escalation point for complex manufacturing, assembly, and quality challenges.
Manufacturing Strategy & Execution- Own the end-to-end manufacturing engineering roadmap for edge compute hardware, spanning both mechanical and electrical subassemblies.
- Drive design for manufacturability (DFM/DFA) and design for test (DFT) reviews in close collaboration with design engineering.
- Oversee the development and maintenance of build documentation: assembly instructions, work instructions, BOMs, and test procedures.
- Lead New Product Introduction (NPI) efforts including prototype builds, pilot runs, and ramp to mass production.
Contract Manufacturing & Quality- Manage relationships with contract manufacturers to ensure consistent build quality, on-time delivery, and yield targets are met.
- Establish and track key manufacturing metrics (yield, cycle time, defect rates) and drive structured continuous improvement programs.
- Champion root cause analysis and corrective action processes to resolve production issues quickly and permanently.
- Ensure compliance with relevant industry standards (IPC, ISO, etc.) for safety, quality, and reliability.
Tooling, Test & Infrastructure- Oversee the design and implementation of custom tooling, fixtures, and test equipment to support scalable production.
- Evaluate and introduce manufacturing technologies and methods that improve efficiency, quality, and cost.
Required Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
- 7+ years of experience in manufacturing or production engineering, with at least 2 years in a people management or lead role.
- Demonstrated ability to build, develop, and retain high-performing engineering teams.
- Hands-on experience with both mechanical assembly (chassis, thermal systems, fasteners) and electrical systems (PCBs, cable harnesses, power distribution).
- Strong background in NPI program management, from prototype through production ramp.
- Experience managing contract manufacturers and holding external partners to quality and delivery commitments.
- Proficiency with CAD tools (SolidWorks, Creo, or similar) and familiarity with ECAD environments.
- Solid grounding in lean manufacturing principles, Six Sigma methodologies, and structured problem-solving (8D, DMAIC, or equivalent).
- Experienced in PLM systems and change management for technical documentation.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience in a high-growth hardware startup or fast-paced scale-up environment.
- Background in environmental or functional testing (vibration, thermal cycling, EMI/EMC).
- Familiarity with IPC standards for PCB assembly and cable/harness builds.
- Experience with embedded systems architecture and edge compute or server hardware.
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
