Associate Director, Advanced Manufacturing

Job description

Job responsibilities

• Provide strategic and technical leadership to manufacturing engineering and advanced manufacturing engineering teams across the full capability lifecycle: concept, design, build, qualification, and sustaining.
• Own build readiness for prototype production: process flows, work instructions, tooling, fixtures, equipment, line layouts, and capacity plans that meet build schedules and volume targets.
• Set and execute the advanced manufacturing roadmap; evaluate, pilot, and deploy new processes and automation (e.g., automated assembly, precision alignment, additive, laser welding, precision polishing) that improves…
• Embed manufacturing engineering in the design process: lead DFx reviews and provide manufacturability, assembly, test, and serviceability input at early product development gates.
• Close the loop between build and design - capture build issues, drive root cause and corrective action with Design, Quality, and Test, and manage the manufacturing impact of engineering changes.
• Define and drive manufacturing engineering processes, standards, and metrics (capacity, readiness, first-pass yield, cycle time, TAKT time, process capability) to support data-driven continuous improvement.
• Prepare processes for scale and transfer: lightweight PFMEAs, control plans, process validation, and documentation that allow prototype processes to move to high-volume production internally or at contract manufacturers.
• Manage external partners - integrators, equipment suppliers, and contract manufacturers - including SOWs, RFQs, design reviews, and acceptance.

Job requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in high-tech hardware, including 4+ years in engineering leadership roles with managers as direct reports.
• Proven track record standing up new manufacturing capabilities from concept through production, including custom equipment and automation.
• Experience in both prototype or low-volume and high-volume production environments.
• Experience transferring processes to global or outsourced manufacturing partners is preferred.
• Experience with robotics, actuators, or similarly complex electro-mechanical assemblies is preferred.