Technical Commodity Manager - Robotics

About the Team

Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and advancing toward AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world environments. Working across the full model and systems stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the physical constraints of real-world systems to improve people’s lives.

About the Role

We're a growing hardware company scaling our supply chain to stay nimble amid evolving engineering designs. We need someone who understands the iterative R&D process and is ready to expand into new product introduction (NPI) and high-volume manufacturing. This role prioritizes judgment, adaptability, and analytical ability over years of experience. A strong candidate will reason from first principles, quickly develop expertise in new commodities, and identify potential commercial or technical issues before they affect the program. While not entry-level, extensive tenure isn’t required—candidates should have a solid foundation in strategic sourcing, supplier management, and hardware manufacturing.

Over time, you'll help build a full supply chain organization, including buyers, global supply managers, contract manufacturing leads, and specialists across categories like precision machining, gears, EMS/PCBA, electrical components, and contract/JDM manufacturing. The role’s trajectory—whether into a specific commodity, people management, or operations—will depend on your strengths and business needs.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA, requires in-person presence 4 days a week, and may involve up to 30% travel to vendor sites.

Responsibilities

• Partner directly with engineering during R&D to source components, qualify vendors, and expedite quotes and samples without relying on a fully built-out process.
• Build supplier relationships from scratch in current priority categories and adapt to new ones as needs shift.
• Evaluate quotes, lead times, and vendor capabilities to make sound decisions even with incomplete data.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with legal, finance, and leadership to gather approvals and remove roadblocks.
• Help establish the processes, tools, and vendor scorecards needed for a growing supply chain organization.
• Work with engineering and quality during NPI to prepare designs for production: DFM feedback, first-article inspection, and pilot builds.
• Transition sourcing relationships and processes from prototype-friendly vendors to production-grade suppliers as we scale.
• Flag risks early—such as single-source dependencies, long-lead components, or supplier financial/quality issues—and propose solutions.

Qualifications

• Strong reasoning ability and intellectual curiosity to quickly master new commodities or technologies.
• Solid grounding in supply chain fundamentals: purchasing, negotiation, supplier management, and basic manufacturing processes, even with modest total experience.
• Comfort with ambiguity, including incomplete data, shifting priorities, and building processes on the fly.
• Direct, clear communication with engineers, suppliers, and leadership.
• Exposure to hardware supply chains is required; deep specialization is a plus but not mandatory. Relevant areas include precision machining, gears/mechanical components, EMS/PCBA, electrical components, or contract/JDM manufacturing.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical field, or equivalent hands-on experience with technical hardware, components, manufacturing processes, and supplier decisions.

Success Metrics

Within the first 6 months, you will have:

• Established yourself as a responsive, agile partner to engineering and manufacturing, translating evolving needs into viable supplier options, quotes, samples, and recommendations without becoming a bottleneck.
• Developed a strong understanding of our key commodities, suppliers, cost drivers, lead times, and manufacturing constraints.
• Made our highest-priority supply risks (long-lead parts, single-source dependencies, quality concerns, weak supplier capacity) visible, actively managed, and backed by mitigation plans.
• Built relationships with existing suppliers and added credible alternatives where needed for capability, leverage, or resilience.
• Helped shape the supply chain’s operating system: clear sourcing/purchasing workflows, reliable supplier/part data, and lightweight tools for tracking cost, delivery, quality, and risk.
• Supported NPI by integrating supplier, manufacturability, cost, and lead-time considerations into early engineering decisions.
• Operated with independence: making sound calls with incomplete information, escalating only critical decisions, and consistently proposing solutions rather than just identifying problems.

Pay

Compensation range: $157,000 – $196,000.