Manufacturing Applications Engineer

ABOUT US Foundry Robotics is building an AI-native robotics manufacturing company focused on deploying advanced assembly and production capability for leading robotics companies and national-security-critical hardware. Basically, we’re building robots that build robots. We are reimagining manufacturing through advanced robotics. Our mission is to rebuild the American manufacturing industry as an AI-first, assembly-focused, dual-use contract manufacturer. We aim to empower manufacturers with intelligent, efficient, and adaptable robotic systems that redefine productivity and quality. As an early member of our team, you will have a direct and significant impact on our product, culture, and ultimate success. This role is 100% in-person at our office in Emeryville, CA. THE ROLE This role is for a Manufacturing Applications Engineer who bridges what our customers need to build and what our factory can build. You are the engineer in the room when a prospect asks whether we can build their product, how we would do it, and what it would cost, and you carry that answer from the first discovery call to a signed PO. You turn drawings, BOMs, and volumes into a DFM review, a process flow, a cost model, and a proposal, then hand a clean technical package to manufacturing so nothing is lost between what the customer intended and what we execute. Much of this work happens at the customer: expect to travel to customer sites across the U.S. 30 to 40% of the time, for discovery visits, build shadowing, and first-article reviews. This is an engineering role, not a support role, and you are the first person in the seat: you define how Foundry scopes and estimates programs, and you automate the parts that should not need an engineer at all. The problems waiting for you: estimating robotic assembly where no industry benchmark exists, turning a drawing package into a process flow and estimate inside a week, defining AS9100 build standards that do not slow a startup customer down, and feeding every lesson into FoundryOS so the next estimate is faster than the last. A year in, every new opportunity has a technical owner from the first call, technical estimates turn around in days, and at least two programs you scoped are in production on the timeline and margin you committed to. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Lead discovery calls and customer visits alongside go-to-market, qualifying fit before engineering time is committed - Own technical intake: drawings, BOM, volumes, materials, tolerances, test and certification requirements, export-control status (ITAR, EAR, CUI) - Run DFM and DFA reviews and deliver written findings the customer can act on and our engineers can build to - Provide the technical inputs behind every quote: process steps, labor and cycle-time estimates, tooling, supplier quotes, lead times, and NRE, so go-to-market can price and package the proposal - Scope design-services engagements (DFM, DFA, DFRA) with deliverables, milestones, and engineering-hour estimates for go-to-market to turn into the SOW - Define the build standard with the customer before PO (frozen revisions, deviation process, customer-furnished material), working with Quality to keep it AS9100-compliant - Hand off a complete technical package at PO and remain the customer's technical point of contact through first-article and pilot delivery - Build the reusable technical intake form, process-estimate templates, and cost models, and feed customer needs into the FoundryOS and robotic cell roadmaps WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR Founder mentality: We love people who build like it's their own company. You move fast, take ownership, and find a way through when the path isn't obvious. You have the drive to make big things happen and the judgment to take smart risks along the way. If you prefer a clearly defined lane, a predictable pace, and all the answers before you start, there's nothing wrong with that, but Foundry might not be the right fit. - 5 to 10 years in manufacturing engineering, NPI, or applications engineering, including 2+ years customer-facing at a contract manufacturer, EMS provider, or hardware supplier - You have estimated real programs: from a drawing package and BOM to a process flow, labor estimate, and cost model that holds up when the parts arrive - Hands-on familiarity with mechanical and electromechanical assembly, wire harness build, and the associated test and inspection - Working proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks, Onshape, or equivalent) sufficient to review customer designs and give credible DFM and DFA feedback - Comfortable in front of customers at the engineering-manager and VP level, in a conference room and on their shop floor, and a clear, fast writer whose proposals and SOWs get read and acted on - Experience within a formal quality system (AS9100, ISO 9001, or IATF 16949) and defining build standards with revision control - U.S. person (citizen, permanent resident, or protected individual) as defined by ITAR and EAR, since a growing share of our programs is export-controlled - Willing to travel to customer sites 30 to 40% of the time, including multi-day on-sites during a pilot build - Bias toward action and scrappy problem solving without sacrificing rigor NICE TO HAVE (NOT REQUIRED) - Tier 1 or EMS supplier experience serving robotics, aerospace, defense, automotive, or EV customers - A vehicle or robot program you took from prototype to volume production - Experience with MES or ERP systems and an interest in automating estimation WHY JOIN US? This is one of the only places where world-class manufacturing operators, mechanical engineers, robotics researchers, and software engineers sit in the same room, building production systems together. We are committed to being deeply embedded in the U.S. industrial base. Our focus is simple: build adaptive robotic assembly systems that make American manufacturing scalable, resilient, and competitive again. The base salary range for this full-time position in the location of Emeryville is: $150,000—$250,000 USD Compensation packages at Foundry Robotics for eligible roles include base salary, equity, and benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position, determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Foundry Robotics employees in eligible roles are also granted equity based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. You'll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, and generous PTO. Foundry Robotics is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.