Hardware Engineering Operations / Manufacturing, AVP

Astera Labs; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Astera Labs in San Jose, California, is hiring an AVP of Hardware Engineering Operations/Manufacturing responsible for leading the hardware engineering operations.

This role involves managing contract manufacturers, driving quality and capacity, and ensuring production efficiency. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering and 15+ years in hardware manufacturing.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in hardware manufacturing, leading in cable assembly or related areas.
• Proven track record managing CMs in Asia, including multi-site operations.
• Willingness to travel internationally for site visits.

Responsibilities

• Lead hardware engineering operations across various products.
• Manage ODM engagements for manufacturing.
• Participate in design reviews and lead production scaling.

Skills

Leadership in hardware manufacturing

Experience with ODM and contract manufacturers

Expertise in NPI and quality systems

Hands-on experience in automation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Job description

Hardware Engineering Operations / Manufacturing, AVP

San Jose, California, United States

Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. By collaborating with hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, Astera Labs enables organizations to unlock the full potential of modern AI. Astera Labs’s Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates CXL, Ethernet, NVLink, PCIe, and UALink semiconductor-based technologies with the company’s COSMOS software suite to unify diverse components into cohesive, flexible systems that deliver end-to-end scale‑up and scale‑out connectivity. The company’s custom connectivity solutions business complements its standards‑based portfolio, enabling customers to deploy tailored architectures to meet their unique infrastructure requirements.

AVP of Hardware Engineering Operations/Manufacturing

Role Overview

Astera Labs is scaling rapidly as the connectivity backbone of rack‑scale AI infrastructure, and our hardware manufacturing footprint is scaling with it. Smart Cable Modules (SCM), Active Electrical Cables (AEC), evaluation boards, AI Chassis‑class systems, and ODM‑built products are central to how we deliver purpose‑built connectivity at hyperscale. We’re hiring an AVP of Hardware Engineering Operations/Manufacturing to bring focused, senior leadership to this growing function.

This is a wide‑range role spanning the full breadth of Astera Labs’ hardware portfolio—from Smart Cable Modules to rack‑scale chassis‑based products. You’ll own manufacturing strategy and execution across SCM, AEC, evaluation boards (SVB/EVB), AI Chassis‑class systems, and ODM‑built products such as switch trays and CEM cards. You’ll be the primary leader partnering with our contract manufacturers across China and the rest of Asia, driving quality, capacity, cost, and time‑to‑market as we scale to meet AI infrastructure demand.

• Lead Astera Labs’ hardware engineering operations and manufacturing organization across SCM, AEC, evaluation boards, AI Chassis‑class systems, and ODM programs.
• Own day‑to‑day partnership with contract manufacturers across China and the rest of Asia—driving cadence, accountability, and site ramps from qualification through full production maturity.
• Manage ODM engagements for switch trays, CEM cards, chassis‑based systems, and adjacent products, navigating the differences from traditional CM models.
• Partner with Hardware Engineering, Product, Supply Chain, and Quality leaders, and represent hardware operations in executive reviews.
• Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews on early product designs to validate completeness and manufacturability before release to the floor.
• Lead production scaling—estimating costs, production times, and staffing requirements for new designs.
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation for new manufacturing processes and engineering procedures.
• Design factory layouts and analyze workflows to achieve maximum production efficiency.
• Troubleshoot operational bottlenecks and investigate material use variances directly on the assembly line.
• Conduct ongoing time and cost analyses to identify waste reduction and lean manufacturing improvements.
• Architect test parameters for finished products to validate they meet exact process requirements.
• Coordinate the design, procurement, build, and debug of automated test equipment.
• Test products to identify anomalies and ensure compliance with functional and safety standards.
• Lead failure analysis using statistical methods and recommend changes in designs, tolerances, or processing methods.
• Apply root‑cause fixes to prevent reoccurrence of product problems involving existing designs or materials.
• Monitor and analyze operational data to evaluate product performance and drive technical design changes that improve yield.
• Assess, select, and schedule installation of manufacturing machinery and industrial processing systems.
• Design and implement custom jigs, fixtures, and manufacturing aids for daily assembly.
• Apply automation techniques and robotics programming to improve workflow and reduce manual labor.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related technical discipline.
• 15+ years of hardware manufacturing experience, with significant time leading cable assembly, PCBA, board, module, or system/chassis manufacturing.
• Proven track record managing contract manufacturers in Asia, including site ramps and multi‑site operations.
• Deep expertise in NPI, DFM, mass production ramp, yield/test, and quality systems for high‑volume hardware products.
• Hands‑on experience across process/sustaining engineering, test engineering, and tooling/automation.
• Experience leading and scaling hardware operations organizations through hyper‑growth.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally to CM and ODM sites on a regular cadence.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Direct experience with Active Electrical Cables (AEC), optical transceivers, Smart Cable Modules, or high‑speed cable/connector assemblies.
• Experience manufacturing rack‑scale or chassis‑class systems for hyperscale or AI infrastructure.
• Experience with ODM engagement models for system‑level products (switch trays, CEM cards, or similar).
• Chinese language proficiency (Mandarin) for direct CM partnership in China.

We know that creativity and innovation happen more often when teams include diverse ideas, backgrounds, and experiences, and we actively encourage everyone with relevant experience to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ+ and non‑binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities.

As set forth in Astera Labs’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.