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Manufacturing Engineer
Job Summary
Join a dynamic AI team as the embedded manufacturing expert, reviewing and improving AI-generated plans for processes like bill of process creation, DFM/DFA analysis, and production workflows. Provide hands-on feedback to refine models, ensuring they align with real-world manufacturing realities for complex hardware. This high-impact role shapes AI systems that transform how teams build physical products from prototype to production.
Essential Functions
- Own and refine the manufacturing evaluation process by reviewing AI model outputs on real tasks and documenting failure modes.
- Assess AI-generated bills of process, DFM/DFA recommendations, inspection plans, tooling suggestions, and manufacturability reviews.
- Work hands-on in software to analyze customer manufacturing workflows, spotting gaps between AI proposals and practical production needs.
- Physically build, mock up, or validate suggested manufacturing processes, including sourcing and assembling parts to test real-world viability.
- Collaborate with AI engineers to convert manufacturing insights into training data, evaluations, and product enhancements.
- Act as the primary manufacturing authority for the AI team, guiding domain expertise needs and potentially coordinating external experts.
- Help define and evolve this new role based on highest-leverage contributions.
Required Qualifications
- 3-6 years of experience in manufacturing engineering or new product introduction, with hands-on work advancing electromechanical products from prototype to production.
- Direct experience taking electromechanical products like robotics, drones, EVs, or aerospace hardware through production, not just coordinating with contract manufacturers.
- Worked across multiple products or companies, owning manufacturing decisions end-to-end in startup or small-team settings.
- Ability to read and interpret CAD/BOM packages and create a bill of process from scratch.
- Hands-on DFM/DFA experience, including floor-level involvement and driving design changes.
- BS in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering, or equivalent demonstrated hands-on background.
Preferred Qualifications
- Background in high-tech manufacturing environments.
- Experience using AI/LLM tools like large language models in technical workflows.
- Proven ability to articulate manufacturing process successes and failures in structured feedback for non-experts.
Technical Skills
- CAD
- BOM (Bill of Materials)
- Bill of Process (BOP)
- DFM/DFA
- AI/ML model evaluation
- Manufacturing execution systems
- LLM tools
- Hands-on prototyping and assembly
- Process planning and validation
- Shop-floor process analysis
Education & Certifications
BS in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering (or equivalent hands-on experience).
Compensation & Benefits
Competitive salary range of $150,000 - $250,000 based on experience, plus comprehensive benefits typical for high-growth tech startups.