Lab Manager

Oreva Technologies, Inc.; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Oreva Technologies, Inc. is seeking an experienced Lab Operations Manager in Boston to lead hardware R&D lab activities for robotics and advanced manufacturing projects. You will oversee daily operations, ensure equipment readiness, and partner with engineers to translate lab needs into tangible setups.

This role requires hands-on equipment experience, strong organizational systems, and the ability to manage inventory and procurement while communicating clearly with stakeholders across the team.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience managing lab operations in hardware R&D or robotics.
• Hands-on familiarity with lab equipment common to physical AI environments.
• Strong organizational instincts to build systems and prevent errors.
• Experience coordinating with engineers and procurement workflows.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day lab operations and ensure safe, efficient work flows.
• Maintain inventory, equipment tracking, and procurement processes.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to align lab setup with project needs.
• Develop and document an ops runbook to standardize procedures.

Skills

Lab operations management

Lab equipment familiarity

Inventory management

Cross-functional collaboration

Written and verbal communication

Tools

Test benches

Oscilloscopes

Power supplies

Soldering and rework stations

3D printers

Job description

• 5+ years of experience managing lab operations in a hardware R&D, robotics, or advanced manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on familiarity with lab equipment common to physical AI or robotics environments — test benches, oscilloscopes, power supplies, soldering and rework stations, 3D printers, and similar.
• Strong organizational instincts — you naturally build systems and processes that keep a fast-moving team from losing things, missing steps, or duplicating work.
• Comfortable working directly with engineers, both taking direction on what the lab needs and pushing back constructively when something isn't feasible.
• Experience with inventory management systems, equipment tracking, and procurement workflows.
• Solid written and verbal communication — you can write a clear ops runbook, escape a problem succinctly, and hold a room in a scheduling conflict.

Preferred

• Background in electrical engineering, mechatronics, or a related discipline — enough technical depth to understand what engineers are building and why lab configuration matters.
• Experience standing up a new lab or significantly expanding an existing one, including equipment procurement, layout planning, and process design.
• Exposure to EH&S (Environmental Health & Safety) requirements in a research or prototype hardware context.
• Prior experience in a hyperscaler, robotics company, or physical AI startup environment.