Prototype Ops Director: Advanced Manufacturing

Boston Dynamics, Inc.; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 178,000 - 221,000; Full time

Job summary

Boston Dynamics is seeking an Associate Director, Advanced Manufacturing to lead Prototype Operations, shaping capabilities from concept through prototype and into scalable production. You’ll guide a team of manufacturing and advanced manufacturing engineers, defining processes, tooling, automation, and line layouts to meet speed and quality targets.

This role partners with design engineering to push DFx early and drive continuous improvement across programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in high-tech hardware.
• Experience standing up new manufacturing capabilities from concept through production.
• Experience with prototype/low‑volume and high‑volume production environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and technical leadership to manufacturing engineering and advanced manufacturing teams across the full capability lifecycle.
• Own build readiness for prototype production: process flows, work instructions, tooling, fixtures, equipment, line layouts, and capacity plans.
• Set and execute the advanced manufacturing roadmap; evaluate, pilot, and deploy new processes and automation to improve development speed.
• Embed manufacturing engineering in the design process: lead DFx reviews and provide manufacturability input at early gates.
• Close the loop between build and design; drive root cause and corrective action with Design, Quality, and Test.
• Define and drive manufacturing processes, standards, and metrics (capacity, readiness, first-pass yield, cycle time, TAKT).
• Prepare processes for scale and transfer to high-volume production internally or with contract manufacturers.
• Manage external partners: integrators, equipment suppliers, and contract manufacturers.
• Develop resource plans, capital budgets, program priorities, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Represent Manufacturing Engineering in senior program reviews and planning.
• Build, lead, and coach high-performing multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Prototype builds leadership

Assembly process development

Fixture and tooling design

Automation and equipment qualification

Lean, PFMEA, SPC, DOE

DFx integration

Data-driven decision making

PLM/ERP/MES knowledge

Cross-functional communication

Talent development

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechanical/Electrical/Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering

Tools

PLM

ERP

MES

Job description

Boston Dynamics is seeking an Associate Director, Advanced Manufacturing to lead Prototype Operations, shaping capabilities from concept through prototype and into scalable production. You’ll guide a team of manufacturing and advanced manufacturing engineers, defining processes, tooling, automation, and line layouts to meet speed and quality targets.

This role partners with design engineering to push DFx early and drive continuous improvement across programs.