Manufacturing Engineer (Onsite/Hybrid)

About The Role

The Manufacturing Engineer will be a member of KoBold's Advanced Technology Group (ATG), which develops and deploys new hardware technology to support Kobold’s exploration and mine development efforts. This is a many-hatted role, taking on more than routine manufacturing engineering. This person will simultaneously be a manufacturing engineer, supplier development, quality, and build owner/supervisor.

Responsibilities

• Build Management 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.
• Lab & Shop Floor Management
• 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.
• Receiving & Quality
• 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.
• Supply Chain & Sourcing
• 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.
• Documentation & Documentation Control
• 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.
• Equipment Deployment and Field Support
• Proactively resolve bottlenecks with Field Ops and Exploration teams to get gear to site.
• Assist with documentation for field deployment - assembly instructions, calibrations, validations.
• Manufacturing Engineering
• 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.
• General Field miscellaneous ATG operational and facilities tasks as they arise.
• Generally own facilities for the Berkeley office.

Qualifications

• Required:
• 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.
• 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).
• Able to work in an office in Berkeley on a daily basis. Able to travel up to 5-10%.
• PREFERRED:
• Experience with New Product Introduction (NPI) in a hardware startup.
• Experience implementing or administering an MRP/PLM system.
• Experience with build, test and calibration of camera and/or sensing systems.
• Familiarity with quality management systems and inspection processes.
• Experience with field-deployed hardware or instrumentation.
• Experience managing overseas vendors and w/ international logistics.
• Machining, fabrication, or 3D printing experience.
• Familiarity with GD&T and reading engineering drawings.