Lead Manufacturing Engineer

Zoo; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Zoo is seeking a Lead Manufacturing Engineer in Los Angeles, CA to lead manufacturing systems and hardware production workflows. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of experience in manufacturing engineering and strong CNC machining expertise.

This role focuses on developing and optimizing manufacturing processes, leading operations, and ensuring product quality through thorough inspections and validations, contributing to the future of engineering design.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering or hardware production environments.
• Strong hands-on experience with CNC machining, including programming and setups.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and CAD models.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing and machine shop operations.
• Develop and optimize manufacturing processes for prototypes and production hardware.
• Inspect and validate finished components using metrology equipment.

Skills

CNC machining

Process optimization

Operational leadership

Troubleshooting

Root-cause analysis

Education

8+ years experience in manufacturing engineering

Tools

CAM software

CNC mills

CNC lathes

Job description

About Us

We're on a mission to revolutionize the CAD industry by developing the world's most advanced hardware design infrastructure and tools. Mechanical CAD is in the dark ages, and hardware demands have outpaced today’s hardware design infrastructure. The industry is due for a refresh, and we're laying the foundation for a modern hardware design toolkit so that you can create new design tools never before possible.

We are headquartered in Los Angeles, CA with both a local and remote team. We were founded and incubated by Embedded Ventures in 2021.

About You

We’re looking for curious, innovative, and ambitious self-starters to join our lean and growing team to help us bring our mission to life. We think you’ll thrive on our team if you’re:

• Curious at your core, with an eagerness to learn and do things differently
• Customer-focused, always thinking about ways to improve the user experience
• Able to operate autonomously and work asynchronously, while also being an effective team player

About The Role

As a Lead Manufacturing Engineer at Zoo, you will lead the development and operation of our manufacturing systems, machine shop, and hardware production workflows that power the future of engineering design. You will serve as a technical leader across machining, fabrication, process development, tooling, prototyping, and production operations, helping bridge advanced digital engineering with real-world manufacturing execution.

This is a highly hands‑on role for someone who thrives at the intersection of manufacturing engineering, machining, process optimization, and operational leadership. You will work across CNC machining, fixture design, manufacturing process development, production scaling, and shop operations while helping establish the systems, standards, and workflows that enable rapid hardware innovation. You will play a critical role in building scalable manufacturing capabilities, improving production efficiency, and helping shape the future of Zoo’s hardware development and manufacturing infrastructure.

What You’ll Do

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing and machine shop operations, including scheduling, workflow management, equipment readiness, and production prioritization
• Develop and optimize manufacturing processes for prototypes, fixtures, production hardware, and internal tooling
• Program, set up, and operate CNC mills, CNC lathes, manual machines, and fabrication equipment to manufacture precision components
• Partner closely with engineering teams to evaluate manufacturability, tolerances, materials, assembly considerations, and production readiness
• Translate CAD models, engineering drawings, and GD&T requirements into robust and repeatable manufacturing processes
• Develop tooling, fixturing, workholding solutions, and process documentation to improve throughput, repeatability, and quality
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across cycle time reduction, process optimization, scrap reduction, uptime, and manufacturing scalability
• Establish manufacturing standards, shop procedures, quality controls, and operational best practices
• Support new product introduction (NPI) efforts from prototype through early production builds
• Inspect and validate finished components using calipers, micrometers, indicators, CMM tools, and other metrology equipment
• Troubleshoot machining issues, dimensional nonconformities, tooling wear, machine performance problems, and manufacturing bottlenecks
• Help design and build out future manufacturing facilities, shop layouts, workflows, and production infrastructure
• Manage tooling, consumables, raw materials, spare components, and manufacturing equipment readiness
• Coordinate with external vendors, fabrication houses, and manufacturing partners when overflow or specialized production support is required
• Support hiring, training, mentorship, and development of machinists, technicians, and future manufacturing team members
• Maintain a safe, clean, organized, and operationally disciplined manufacturing environment

What You’ll Need

• 8+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, machining, precision manufacturing, or hardware production environments
• Strong hands‑on experience with CNC machining, including mills, lathes, setups, tooling, feeds, speeds, offsets, and process optimization
• Experience programming using CAM software and editing machine code at the controller
• Experience developing and improving manufacturing processes for prototypes and/or production hardware
• Strong understanding of machining principles, materials, tolerances, GD&T, and manufacturing methods
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, CAD models, and technical specifications
• Experience building and scaling manufacturing teams
• Strong troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis skills across machining, tooling, fixtures, and manufacturing workflows
• Strong operational mindset with the ability to balance prototype urgency, production quality, and manufacturing scalability
• Excellent organizational, communication, and cross‑functional collaboration skills
• High attention to detail, craftsmanship, and pride in building high-quality hardware systems