Lab Operations Specialist

Dexmate; Fremont (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Dexmate seeks a hands-on Operations Lead to own the physical operations layer from materials intake to customer-ready robots. You’ll design inventory, manage labs, and ship units globally. This role sits on-site, on the floor, in the lab, and on the loading dock.

You’ll implement end-to-end inventory and shipping processes, drive accuracy, and support lab buildouts while coordinating with the Seoul office for inbound and outbound logistics.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in hardware lab operations, materials management, or logistics.
• Experience with inbound and outbound logistics including international shipments.
• Built or significantly improved an inventory system, not only operated one.
• Able to read a BOM, understand part revisions, and handle prototypes carefully.
• Strong organization and accuracy, able to enforce standards.
• Able to lift 50 lbs and be on your feet for long periods.

Responsibilities

• Design and run inventory system end to end: part numbering, bin scheme, receiving, put-away, cycle counts.
• Own inventory accuracy across labs, warehouses; set accuracy targets.
• Kit parts for robot builds and deliver to benches on time.
• Manage consumables and reorder points; track tools and lab equipment with maintenance schedules.
• Set lab organization standards and enforce ESD safety and hazmat storage.
• Own outbound shipments, domestic and international; coordinate with freight forwarders and carriers.
• Prepare export docs, maintain serial-number tracking, and handle cargo insurance.

Skills

Inventory management

Lab operations

Logistics coordination

Shipping coordination

Hazmat awareness

Job description

The role

You'll build and run the physical operations layer of the company: how material comes in, how it gets tracked, how it reaches the engineer who needs it, and how finished robots get out the door and to a customer in one piece. Today that means inventing the system. Later it means running and scaling it.

This is a hands-on job. You'll be on the floor, in the lab, and on the loading dock.

What you'll do

Inventory and materials

• Design and run our inventory system end to end — part numbering, bin and location scheme, receiving, put-away, cycle counts
• Own inventory accuracy across labs, warehouses, and set the accuracy targets we hold ourselves to
• Kit parts for robot builds and get them to the right bench at the right time
• Manage consumables and reorder points: fasteners, cabling, adhesives, PPE, ESD supplies
• Track tools and lab equipment, including calibration schedules and preventative maintenance

Lab operations

• Set and enforce lab organization standards — labeled storage, bench discipline, 5S, clean-as-you-go
• Own ESD compliance and lab safety practices
• Handle battery and hazmat storage in line with our lithium-ion safety requirements
• Support lab buildouts: new benches, test stations, equipment installs

Customer shipping

• Own outbound robot shipments end to end, domestic and international
• Design and source crating and packaging — shock mounting, tip and impact indicators, reusable vs. one-way
• Manage freight forwarders and carriers; quote and book LTL, FTL, and air freight; select Incoterms
• Prepare export documentation: commercial invoices, packing lists, HS classification, certificates of origin
• Maintain serial-number-level tracking and as-shipped configuration records for every unit
• Handle cargo insurance and damage claims
• Coordinate inbound and outbound with our Seoul office

What we're looking for

• 3+ years in hardware lab operations, materials management, or logistics at a hardware, robotics, or capital equipment company
• Direct experience with inbound and outbound logistics, including international shipments
• You've built or meaningfully improved an inventory system, not just operated one someone else designed
• Comfortable around engineering hardware — you can read a BOM, understand why a part revision matters, and handle prototypes without damaging them
• High bar for organization and accuracy, and willing to hold other people to it
• Able to lift 50 lbs and be on your feet for much of the day

Strong pluses

• Current hazmat / dangerous goods certification for lithium batteries (49 CFR ground, IATA DGR air). If you don't have it, we'll certify you — but someone here needs it before our first unit ships.
• Experience shipping capital equipment internationally: semiconductor tooling, medical imaging, industrial automation, or similar
• Export compliance background — ECCN classification, restricted party screening, license determination
• Forklift certification
• Experience at a company that scaled from prototype builds to customer shipments