Head of Manufacturing Engineering

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 Head of Manufacturing Engineering who will set the technical manufacturing automation roadmap for Foundry and build the teams that execute it. Reporting to the Chief Manufacturing Officer, you will stand up and lead two groups: Manufacturing Engineering, which owns DFM/DFA for our customers, line and cell design, tooling, automation and new product launches; and Process Engineering, which owns process optimization, standard work, yield and cycle time across every program on the floor. You are also the owner of Foundry's hardest problem. Our customers bring us different products at different volumes, and the factory has to absorb them without being rebuilt each time. That means a flexible assembly line that runs multiple products on shared stations, automation driven by foundation models rather than hand-programmed cells, autonomous material movement from dock to station, and a factory layout designed around all of it. You will decide what we build, in what order, and why, and you will be on the floor when it gets built. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Own the multi-year manufacturing automation roadmap: which operations get automated, in what sequence, with what technology, and defend it with takt, capex and risk numbers - Design and launch a flexible assembly line that runs multiple customer products on shared stations, fixtures and conveyance, with changeovers measured in hours rather than weeks - Partner with our software and robotics teams to deploy foundation-model-driven automation on the floor (assembly, inspection, kitting, material handling), and decide where learned automation beats fixed automation and where it does not yet - Specify and deploy autonomous material movement (AMR/AGV fleets, kitting, line-side replenishment) so material reaches the station without a person pushing a cart - Own the factory layout of our Emeryville facility as a living design: flow, cell boundaries, material routes, utilities and ITAR-segregated areas, working with Facilities on the physical build-out - Build the DFM/DFA practice that turns a customer's prototype into something we can build at rate and yield, with your engineers in customer discovery and quoting to catch cost and quality problems before the PO - Build the Process Engineering team that owns standard work, cycle time, line balance, yield, PFMEA, control plans, tooling and fixtures, and continuous improvement - Own new product introduction from customer handoff to stable production: pilot builds, PFMEA, control plans, work instructions, capability studies and ramp - Hire, develop and lead manufacturing and process engineers, and set the bar for engineering culture on the floor 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. - 12+ years in manufacturing engineering for complex electromechanical hardware (automotive, aerospace, robotics, or consumer electronics at scale), including 5+ years leading engineers - Launched at least one high-volume or high-mix assembly line end to end: layout, stations, tooling, conveyance, line balance and ramp - Built an automation program, not just bought one: you can argue cell by cell where a robot, a fixture or a person is the right answer, and you have been wrong before and fixed it - Hands-on DFM/DFA: you have sat with a customer or a design team and changed the part so it could be built - Deep process fundamentals: PFMEA, control plans, capability studies, standard work, takt and OEE, and you can run a Kaizen and a capex review in the same week - Hired and grown an engineering team from a handful to dozens, and can name the first three hires you would make here and why - Equally effective at a desk and on the shop floor, in a company that is still building its factory - Bias toward action, scrappy problem solving, and moving fast without sacrificing rigor - Must be a U.S. person (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)) due to ITAR and export control requirements for the hardware we build NICE TO HAVE (NOT REQUIRED) - Experience applying ML-based robotics (learned grasping, vision-guided assembly, foundation-model policies) in a production setting, or close partnership with a team that has - AMR/AGV or autonomous intralogistics deployment - Multi-product or contract-manufacturing environment where changeover and flexibility were the constraint - AS9100 or ITAR-controlled production exposure - Electromechanical assembly of robots, drones, or defense hardware 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: $200,000—$350,000 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.