Manufacturing Engineer

Jobtailor

Berkeley (CA)

On-site

USD 90,000 - 120,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Jobtailor is seeking an experienced Hardware Build Engineer to plan and manage prototype‑to‑low‑volume production builds in a Berkeley lab. You will coordinate with engineering and suppliers, track BOMs and part availability, and resolve manufacturability bottlenecks while maintaining safe shop floor operations.

Responsibilities include maintaining lab layout, equipment, tooling, and ongoing documentation control, with travel up to 10% as needed.

Qualifications

Requires degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or industrial engineering (or equivalent).
3–5 years in manufacturing, production, or hardware build engineering, preferably prototype‑to‑low‑volume.
Hands‑on experience managing hardware builds and shop/lab environments.
Experience with sourcing and vendor development.
Experience with inventory and materials management.
Knowledge of BOM management, revision control, and documentation control practices.
Strong project management skills—able to track multiple builds, deadlines and stakeholders.
Ability to collaborate with design engineers and translate design intent into buildable processes.
Detail‑oriented, organized, and self‑directed in a fast‑paced environment.
Proficiency with Google Docs/Sheets.
Office Berkeley daily work requirement; travel 5–10%.

Responsibilities

Plan and manage hardware builds from prototype through low‑volume production, coordinating across engineering and vendors.
Track build status, BOMs, and part availability to keep builds on schedule.
Identify and resolve manufacturability bottlenecks with design engineers.
Own the day‑to‑day operation of the lab and shop floor—layout, equipment, tooling, consumables, and safety.

Skills

Mechanical Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering

Industrial Engineering

Documentation Control

Quality Checks

Design-for-Manufacturability

Calibration

Assembly Procedures

Test Protocols

Change Management

Detail-Oriented

Organized

Self-Directed

Problem-Solving

Communication

Education

Degree in Mechanical/Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering

Tools

Google Docs

Google Sheets

Job description

Plan and manage hardware builds, from prototype through low-volume production—scheduling, kitting, and coordinating across engineering and vendors.
Track build status, bills of materials, and part availability to keep builds on schedule.
Identify and resolve manufacturing bottlenecks and design‑for‑manufacturability issues in coordination with design engineers.
Own the day‑to‑day operation of the lab and shop floor—layout, equipment, tooling, consumables, and safety.
Maintain and calibrate shop and test equipment; manage service and maintenance schedules.
Establish and enforce shop floor practices, workflows, and safety standards.
Specify and source equipment as needed.
Own the receiving process—inspection, verification against POs, and intake into inventory.
Establish incoming and in‑process quality checks; track and resolve nonconformances with suppliers.
Manage returns, rework, and supplier quality issues.
Source components and services—identify, qualify, and develop vendors for hardware builds and ATG projects.
Own vendor relationships and follow‑up—drive on‑time delivery, resolve issues, and hold suppliers accountable.
Manage ordering and inventory—place orders, track stock, and keep parts available to support builds.
Create and maintain build and deployment documentation—work instructions, assembly procedures, test protocols, and deployment guides.
Establish and own documentation control—revision management, BOM control, and change management for hardware and procedures.
Ensure documentation stays current as designs evolve and is accessible to the teams building and deploying in the field.
Proactively resolve bottlenecks with Field Ops and Exploration teams to get gear to site.
Assist with documentation for field deployment - assembly instructions, calibrations, validations.
Provide DFX feedback to in progress designs of new equipment.
Resolve technical issues with parts, assemblies and systems as they are encountered during fabrication, build, assembly and test.

Requirements

Degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or industrial engineering (or equivalent education/experience).
3-5 years in manufacturing, production, or hardware build engineering, ideally in a prototype‑to‑low‑volume environment.
Hands‑on experience managing hardware builds and shop/lab environments.
Experience with sourcing and vendor development
Experience with inventory and materials management
Working knowledge of BOM management, revision control, and documentation control practices.
Strong project management skills—able to track multiple concurrent builds, deadlines, and stakeholders without dropping balls.
Comfortable working directly with design engineers and translating between design intent and buildable, documented processes.
Detail‑oriented, organized, and self‑directed in a fast‑paced, ambiguous environment.
Proficiency with standard business tools (Google Docs/Sheets)
Ability to work in an office in Berkeley on a daily basis. Able to travel up to 5-10%.

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in managing hardware builds and production processes, with a strong focus on vendor development, inventory management, and documentation control. Proficient in project management and capable of resolving technical issues in a fast‑paced environment.

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