--- title: 'Global Supply Chain Manager at Mind Robotics' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/global-supply-chain-manager-mind-robotics-palo-alto-rv08v1n32bs7' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-11' --- # Global Supply Chain Manager at Mind Robotics - **Company:** Mind Robotics - **Location:** Palo Alto, CA - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-06-10 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/mindrobotics/07ed3974-1e0e-444b-be5e-84a5f8d3bc9a/application **Skills:** Supply chain management, Procurement, Sourcing, Should-cost modeling, DFM (Design for Manufacturing), Injection molding, Die-casting, MIM (Metal Injection Molding), CNC machining, SMT assembly, Engineering drawings interpretation, 3D model interpretation, Program management tools, Experience with Chinese, Japanese, or Korean suppliers, Contract manufacturer management > Build the supply chain from scratch for industrial robots, managing supplier onboarding, procurement, cost modeling, and production readiness. Collaborate with engineering teams to transition from prototype to volume production while mitigating supply chain risks. ## Job description ## About Mind Mind Robotics is building Physical AI for real-world industrial deployment, starting with the factory floor. We believe the hardest problems in AI are solved when researchers and engineers are hands-on with the physical world every day - and we're looking for people who are passionate about robotics, value ownership, and are excited to tackle difficult problems. Join us if you want to move beyond digital intelligence and put intelligence into motion. ## About the Role We're building robots for industrial deployment that push the limits of what hardware can do and we need someone who's done this before in the trenches, not just observed it from a distance. You'll be part of building our supply chain from scratch, working shoulder-to-shoulder with our engineering team, and moving at a fast pace. If you've thrived in that environment before - and you're hungry to do it again - this role is for you. ## Responsibilities - Identify, evaluate, and onboard suppliers for motors (BLDC, stepper, servo), custom PCBs/PCBAs, injection-molded parts, CNC-machined components, cameras, connectors, and cable assemblies - Own the full procurement cycle — issue quotes, negotiate piece pricing and tooling costs, and execute NDAs, supply agreements, and purchase orders - Build and maintain should-cost models across key commodities to drive cost reduction through competitive bidding, DFM feedback, and supplier consolidation - Source components and work closely with machine shops, CMs, and CEMs to ensure parts are manufactured and shipped to spec and on time - Develop and manage the supply chain readiness plan to move from low-volume prototype builds (10s of units) to initial production runs (100s–1,000s of units) - Track supplier lead times, tooling timelines, and open items across all commodities using program management tools - Manage ongoing supplier performance — partnerships, business reviews, dispute resolution, and corrective action plans - Coordinate inbound logistics from domestic and international suppliers, managing inventory levels to balance carrying cost against schedule risk - Identify single-source dependencies, long-lead-time components, and geopolitical risks; develop mitigation strategies including dual-sourcing and alternate qualification plans - Work hand-in-hand with mechanical, electrical, firmware, and industrial design teams — providing sourcing input on component selection, alternate parts, and make-vs-buy decisions early enough to actually influence outcomes ## Qualifications - You've built supply chain at a startup before. You know what it means to operate without a playbook, move fast, and own outcomes end-to-end — not just manage a process someone else designed - Deep sourcing intuition — you understand supplier economics, manufacturing processes, and what drives cost at the component level - 5+ years of experience in supply chain, procurement, or sourcing within hardware-intensive industries such as robotics, industrial automation, consumer electronics, aerospace, or automotive - Direct experience sourcing across multiple commodity categories — electromechanical components (motors, actuators), PCBs/PCBAs, injection-molded parts, machined metals, cameras/sensors, or connectors - Familiarity with manufacturing processes such as injection molding, die-casting, MIM, CNC machining, and SMT assembly - Strong negotiation skills with a track record of achieving competitive pricing and favorable terms with both domestic and international suppliers - Experience managing the transition from prototype/NPI builds to volume production, including tooling qualification and first-article inspection processes - Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, 3D models, and technical specifications well enough to contribute meaningfully in design reviews and supplier technical discussions - Experience working with Chinese, Japanese, or Korean suppliers and contract manufacturers is a strong plus - You thrive in ambiguity, default to urgency, and have the drive to build — not just maintain ## About Mind Robotics ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Mind Robotics builds AI-driven robotic systems for industrial deployment, focusing on creating general-purpose physical intelligence for the world's most demanding manufacturing challenges. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series A) - **Headquarters**: Palo Alto, California, United States - **Founded**: 2025 - **Founders**: Not publicly disclosed (founding technical team includes Sriramana Sankar, Ruijie He, Vishal J., and Ury Zhilinsky as Founding Technical Members) ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Robotics Engineering, Industrial Automation, Artificial Intelligence - **Target customers**: B2B, Enterprise (industrial manufacturing, factory floors) - **Mission or purpose statement**: "Building the generalized physical intelligence required to solve the world’s most demanding industrial challenges." The company believes the path to general-purpose robotics begins where the need is most acute and the environment is most structured: the factory floor. ## Products & Services - **AI-Enabled Industrial Robots**: Intelligent robotic systems designed for industrial deployment, focusing on creating collaborative platforms for manufacturing environments. The company builds "physical AI" for real-world industrial challenges, emphasizing hardware-in-the-loop development where researchers and engineers work hands-on with hardware. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed - **Key Metric**: Total Funding of **$615M** across two rounds - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Andreessen Horowitz (co-lead Series A), Accel (co-lead Series A), Kleiner Perkins (led most recent round), Eclipse (seed), Prysm Capital, Menlo Ventures. Partners include Silicon Valley Robotics. - **Growth Signals**: - Raised a $115M seed round in late 2025, followed by a massive $500M Series A in March 2026 co-led by Accel and Andreessen Horowitz - Closed an additional funding round in May 2026 led by Kleiner Perkins - Headcount of ~21 employees with a monthly growth rate of +42.9% - LinkedIn following of 9,654 with +38.5% monthly growth - Talent sourced from top companies including Tesla, Rivian, Databricks, and Physical Intelligence ## Competitive Advantages - **Massive capital advantage**: With $615M in total funding raised within its first year, Mind Robotics is one of the best-capitalized early-stage robotics startups, enabling aggressive hiring and R&D investment. - **Top-tier investor backing**: Backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, and Kleiner Perkins — some of the most prestigious venture firms in the world. - **Hardware-in-the-loop philosophy**: The company emphasizes that the hardest problems in AI are solved when researchers and engineers are hands-on with hardware, creating a unique engineering culture focused on real-world deployment. - **Lean, high-impact team**: With only ~21 employees and massive funding, each individual has outsized ownership and impact. ## Strategic Focus - **Industrial deployment first**: Targeting factory floors as the most structured environment for deploying general-purpose robotics, believing this is the fastest path to broadly capable robots. - **Physical AI development**: Building the intelligence layer for robots that can operate in messy, complex real-world environments. - **Aggressive scaling**: With $615M in funding, the company is rapidly expanding its team across hardware engineering, software, and data platform roles. ## Why Work Here - **Massive impact per person**: The company explicitly states it is "building a lean, collaborative team where every individual has a massive impact" — a rare promise for a company with over half a billion in funding. - **Hardware-in-the-loop culture**: Engineers and researchers work directly with physical hardware daily, solving real-world problems rather than just simulation. - **Top-tier team**: Colleagues include alumni from Tesla, Rivian, Databricks, and Physical Intelligence, creating a high-caliber peer group. - **Work policy**: Hybrid workspace (combination of remote and on-site work) with a strong in-office presence in Palo Alto, CA. Most roles appear to be on-site or hybrid. - **Open roles**: 22 active positions across hardware engineering (actuation, motor design, electrical design, tactile sensing), software engineering (robotics, firmware, controls, ML infrastructure), and data platform roles. - **Culture highlights**: The company looks for "builders who are passionate about robotics and live for the challenge of making systems work in messy, complex environments." They emphasize a lean, collaborative team where every individual has massive impact. ## Sources 1. [mindrobotics.com](https://www.mindrobotics.com/) 2. [mindrobotics.com/careers](https://www.mindrobotics.com/careers) 3. [LinkedIn - Mind Robotics](https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindrobotics) 4. [Built In - Mind Robotics](https://builtin.com/company/mind-robotics) 5. [Ashby Jobs - Mind Robotics](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/mindrobotics) ## Other roles at Mind Robotics - [Actuation Engineer, Motor Design](https://feeny.ai/job/actuation-engineer-motor-design-mind-robotics-palo-alto-gxcwzjckdh2e) — Palo Alto, CA - [Tech Lead, Robotics Runtime & Middleware](https://feeny.ai/job/tech-lead-robotics-runtime-middleware-mind-robotics-palo-alto-0nmtyyhy7tad) — Palo Alto, CA - [IT Operations Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/it-operations-lead-mind-robotics-palo-alto-nnxhw00ffje8) — Palo Alto, CA - [Test Engineer, Actuation](https://feeny.ai/job/test-engineer-actuation-mind-robotics-palo-alto-fpcjggcme83d) — Palo Alto, CA - [Supplier Industrialization Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/supplier-industrialization-engineer-mind-robotics-palo-alto-v7csa9tpt7ys) — Palo Alto, CA - [System Integration Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/system-integration-engineer-mind-robotics-palo-alto-fbfk3r1bw99s) — Palo Alto, CA - [Tech Lead, Software Infrastructure and Fleet Management](https://feeny.ai/job/tech-lead-software-infrastructure-and-fleet-management-mind-robotics-palo-alto-1pdhevhnevhm) — Palo Alto, CA - [Hardware Lab Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/hardware-lab-technician-mind-robotics-palo-alto-wrdf1ybv7y4g) — Palo Alto, CA - [Simulation and Validation Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/simulation-and-validation-software-engineer-mind-robotics-palo-alto-byck56jcmcar) — Palo Alto, CA - [DevOps Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/devops-engineer-mind-robotics-palo-alto-7v1ppafsxmdy) — Palo Alto, CA