Lab Manager
Role Overview
As a Lab Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing our hardware prototyping and test lab. This person is a highly organized individual who will play a central role in maintaining and scaling the physical infrastructure that enables our robotics teams to design, build, and iterate rapidly. You’ll ensure that the lab runs safely, efficiently, and smoothly bridge engineering and fabrication as we scale our robot fleet.
Key Responsibilities
- Turn digital part files into finished parts using 3D printing, laser cutting, and assembly processes.
- Manage a fleet of prototyping tools - Bambu FDM printers, Formlabs SLS & SLA printers, Epilog Laser cutter, various hand tools (drills, saws, sander), ensuring they are maintained and ready for use.
- Lab Safety and Process: Implement and enforce lab procedures for fabrication, part storage, ESD safety, hazardous material handling, PPE requirements, and tool calibration.
- Lab Inventory: Maintain and manage quantities of raw materials (acrylics, plastic filament, resin, screws, inserts etc) and common off-the-shelf parts for prototyping.
- Lab Expansion:Plan layout, tooling upgrades, and process improvements as the hardware team scales.
Required Competencies & Skills
- Shop/Lab Manager Work Experience: 2+ years as a lab or shop manager with experience mentoring and managing team of technicians.
- Prototype Equipment Experience: Knowledge and experience running prototyping equipment - 3D printers, laser cutters, machine tools.
- Hands-On Skills: Experience assembling plastic and metal parts. Inserts, adhesives, torque wrenches, etc. Operate bandsaws, belt sanders and basic mill and lathe. Basic electrical/wiring experience (Soldering, cable routing, multimeter, harness repair)
- CAD Experience - OnShape preferred, SolidWorks possible
- Design for Manufacturing (DFM) Experience - Experience modifying parts for particular 3D printing processes and printing in the optimal orientation to meet design requirements
- Inventory Management and Purchasing: Experience managing inventory of hardware parts and tools for the lab. Experience purchasing stock of inventory.
- Documentation: Experience creating and maintaining documentation on lab processes or training guides for new hires.
- Other Facets: High attention to detail, highly organized, capable of supporting multiple ongoing projects at the same time. Ability to enforce lab discipline.
Preferred Skills
- Familiarity with robotics hardware systems (actuators, sensors, controllers, cabling).
- Proficiency with re-work of boards and debugging electrical systems
- Experience with vendor management and outsourced fabrication or assembly