Launch Operations Architect: Prototype to Production

Motivo Engineering, LLC; California (MO); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Generous vacation

4/10 workweek

Profit-sharing bonuses

High-quality insurance

Job summary

Motivo Engineering, LLC is seeking a Prototype-to-Production Manager to lead and scale the new Launch division. You will bridge engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and client delivery to bake manufacturability, cost, and readiness into early product decisions.

The role offers a clear path to broader ownership as capability matures. You’ll drive a matrixed team across functions, shape MVL execution, and guide gates and handoffs from concept to reliable production.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive leadership in manufacturing, industrial engineering, operations, NPI, or product realization.
• Demonstrated success transitioning from development builds to pilot or low-volume production.
• Ability to build or formalize operating systems, processes, governance from the ground up.
• Strong command of DFM, DFA, process validation, PFMEA, and trade-off decisions.
• Solid understanding of supplier qualification, sourcing strategy, cost structures and negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Lead a matrixed team across manufacturing, engineering, sourcing, fabrication, and program execution to ensure manufacturability and production readiness from the outset.
• Define and deploy Motivo’s Minimum Viable Line approach for low-rate initial production and learning.
• Establish review gates, pilot build objectives, and handoff standards moving programs toward reliable execution.
• Serve as senior decision-maker when design needs clash with scalable manufacturing realities.
• Evaluate client programs at the proposal stage to determine design-only vs. integrated Launch scope and cost models.
• Expand a resilient supply base supporting prototyping, pilot builds, and low-volume production with sound make-buy decisions.
• Define a roadmap for fit-for-purpose systems and tools to support Launch maturity without overhead.

Skills

Leadership

Operating systems

DFM/DFA

Production readiness

Supply chain acumen

Job description

Motivo Engineering, LLC is seeking a Prototype-to-Production Manager to lead and scale the new Launch division. You will bridge engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and client delivery to bake manufacturability, cost, and readiness into early product decisions.

The role offers a clear path to broader ownership as capability matures. You’ll drive a matrixed team across functions, shape MVL execution, and guide gates and handoffs from concept to reliable production.