Build the supplier industrialization function from the ground up: define the SI playbook, stage-gate requirements, supplier readiness criteria, and the full PPAP/qualification process (control plans, pFMEA, MSA/Gage R&R, capability studies, first-article inspection, run-at-rate) appropriate for a company moving from prototype builds to volume production
Own industrialization end-to-end for PCBAs, electronic assemblies, and tactile sensing components, from supplier selection through process development, qualification, launch, and ramp
Engage with electrical, mechanical, and firmware engineering from the design phase: drive DFM/DFA/DFT reviews, influence component selection, stack-ups, panelization, and test strategy early enough to actually change the design, not just react to it
Identify, assess, and select suppliers: lead technical audits of manufacturing capability, quality systems, process maturity, and capacity; make clear-eyed calls on who can scale with us and who can't
Travel to supplier sites (CMs/CEMs, PCB fabs, sensor manufacturers) to develop processes, validate lines, resolve issues, and verify manufacturing readiness firsthand
Lead new product introduction at supplier sites: process development and validation, SMT line bring-up, test correlation, yield improvement, and launch readiness for each build stage (EVT/DVT/PVT to production)
Develop and execute the supply chain readiness plan to scale electronics from tens of prototype units to hundreds and thousands of production units, including tooling, test fixtures, and capacity planning
Establish supplier quality management: incoming quality criteria, SPC deployment, root-cause/corrective action (8D/RCCA) on process and field failures, and ongoing supplier performance reviews
Work hand-in-hand with our sourcing/GSM function on supplier strategy, should-cost input, make-vs-buy decisions, and risk mitigation (dual-sourcing, alternate qualification)
Set the foundation for the SI team: define hiring needs by commodity as we grow, and build the systems and documentation that let the function scale beyond one person
Qualification
7+ years in supplier industrializationFluent in the industrialization toolkitEngineering degree (ElectricalYou thrive in ambiguitySix Sigma / Lean certification
Required
You've built or significantly shaped an SI, SQE, or NPI function before. You know what it means to operate without a playbook because you've written one, not just followed it
7+ years in supplier industrialization, supplier quality, NPI, or manufacturing engineering in hardware-intensive industries such as robotics, consumer electronics, automotive, or aerospace
Working knowledge of IPC standards and PCB fabrication processes; experience with flex and rigid-flex circuits or sensor integration (tactile, force, capacitive, camera modules) is a strong plus
Fluent in the industrialization toolkit: PPAP, APQP, pFMEA, control plans, SPC, MSA/Gage R&R, DOE, capability analysis (Cpk), 8D/RCCA
Hands-on experience taking products through the prototype-to-production transition, including EVT/DVT/PVT builds, tooling and test fixture qualification, run-at-rate, and ramp
Engineering degree (Electrical, Mechanical, or similar) and the ability to read schematics, layouts, and drawings well enough to hold your own in design reviews with the engineers who made them
Experience auditing and developing suppliers directly, including CMs/CEMs and component manufacturers worldover
Comfortable operating as both architect and operator: setting up systems one day, debugging a PCBA failure at a supplier the next
You thrive in ambiguity, default to urgency, and have the drive to build - not just maintain
Experience with tactile sensing or other high-mix sensor manufacturing (is a plus)
Experience in humanoid or mobile robotics, or other high-complexity electromechanical systems (is a plus)
Six Sigma / Lean certification, ASQ CQE, or equivalent (is a plus)
