--- title: 'Manufacturing Process Engineer at Foundry Robotics Inc.' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-process-engineer-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-5efgrj4ncg5v' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-10' --- # Manufacturing Process Engineer at Foundry Robotics Inc. - **Company:** Foundry Robotics Inc. - **Location:** San Francisco, CA - **Compensation:** $150k–$250k - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-03-24 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/foundry-robotics/f4a52fae-cf78-4294-a4be-e70ef6099542/application **Skills:** Manufacturing Process Engineering, 3D CAD, Solidworks, CATIA, Tooling Design, Fixture Design, DFM/DFA, MES, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Process Documentation, Cycle Time Analysis, OEE Analysis, Vendor Management, Contract Manufacturing, Robotic Assembly Systems, Automated Assembly > Design and build production processes for autonomous robotic assembly systems from scratch, optimizing for throughput, yield, and scalability. The role involves hands-on shop floor validation, tooling design, and cross-functional collaboration to establish robust manufacturing workflows. ## Job description ## About Us Foundry Robotics is building an AI-native robotics manufacturing company focused on deploying advanced assembly and production capability for leading robotics companies and national-security-critical hardware. Basically, we’re building robots that build robots. We are reimagining manufacturing through advanced robotics. Our mission is to rebuild the American manufacturing industry as an AI-first, assembly-focused, dual-use contract manufacturer. We aim to empower manufacturers with intelligent, efficient, and adaptable robotic systems that redefine productivity and quality. As a founding member of our engineering team, you will have a direct and significant impact on our product, culture, and ultimate success. This role is 100% in-person at our office in the mission, SF. ## The Role This role is for a Manufacturing Process Engineer who thrives on turning ideas into production reality, equally comfortable architecting systems from first principles and proving them out hands-on on the factory floor. You will define how our robotic systems are built, from early process concept through full-scale production, developing assembly strategies, designing tooling, and establishing workflows where none currently exist. You will stand up production capability from scratch, making core decisions across sequencing, fixturing, automation integration, and quality control. You will drive rapid build-test-learn cycles to deliver processes that are both robust and scalable. ## Key Responsibilities - Design and build production processes from scratch for autonomous robotic assembly systems, defining how AI-driven hardware gets made at scale - Develop and optimize assembly lines with a focus on throughput, yield, and scalability from early production to high-volume output - Create and own process documentation, work instructions, SOPs, and control plans that enable repeatable, scalable manufacturing - Develop tooling and fixtures that reduce variation, minimize operator error, and support efficient assembly - Work hands-on on the shop floor, validating processes, identifying bottlenecks, and iterating quickly alongside the team - Support relationships with external vendors and contract manufacturers, providing process input and feedback during development - Collaborate cross-functionally with mechanical, electrical, and robotics teammates to ensure processes are designed with the full system in mind - Define and track key manufacturing metrics including cycle time, takt time, OEE, and defect rate, and use data to drive continuous improvement ## What We're Looking For - 3-5 years of experience in manufacturing or process engineering in a large-volume production environment - Work closely with software teammates to shape and develop an MES built for autonomous robotic manufacturing, contributing the process and floor level-expertise - Develop and optimize manufacturing processes for robotic subassemblies and full systems with a focus on repeatability, efficiency and scalability - Proven ability to build production processes from the ground up, and improve upon existing processes - Hands-on experience designing tooling and fixtures, with proficiency in 3D CAD (Solidworks, CATIA, or equivalent) and familiarity with fastening systems, jigs and assembly automation hardware - Comfortable owning process documentation and standardization - Equally effective at a desk and on the shop floor, you have deep hands-on experience and know how to move through a production environment, build hardware, and solve problems in real time - Experience tracking and improving manufacturing metrics (cycle time, takt time, OEE, yield) - Experience providing DFM/DFA input in a cross-functional product development environment - Collaborative by nature, you consider downstream impacts on quality, supply chain, and operators when making process decisions - Bias toward action, scrappy problem solving, and moving fast without sacrificing rigor ## Nice to Have (Not Required) - Experience supporting vendor or contract manufacturer relationships - Exposure to robotic or automated assembly systems - Experience scaling a process from low-rate to high-volume production - Familiarity with lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies Why Join Us? This is one of the only places where world-class manufacturing operators, mechanical engineers, robotics researchers, and software engineers sit in the same room — building production systems together. We are committed to being deeply embedded in the U.S. industrial base. Our focus is simple: build adaptive robotic assembly systems that make American manufacturing scalable, resilient, and competitive again. The base salary range for this full-time position in the location of San Francisco is: $150,000—$250,000 USD Compensation packages at Foundry Robotics for eligible roles include base salary, equity, and benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position, determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Foundry Robotics employees in eligible roles are also granted equity based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. You’ll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: Comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, and generous PTO. Foundry Robotics is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. ## About Foundry Robotics Inc. ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Foundry Robotics is an AI-first, assembly-focused robotics company rebuilding American manufacturing with advanced automation and production systems. - **Entity Type**: Private (Seed stage) - **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, USA - **Founded**: 2026 - **Founders**: Adarsh Kulkarni ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Robotics Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing, Defense & Dual-Use Contract Manufacturing - **Target customers**: B2B, primarily defense contractors, hardware startups, and industrial companies needing flexible, small-to-medium scale assembly - **Mission or purpose statement**: "AI-first, assembly-focused robotics that rebuilds American manufacturing—faster, more flexible, and ready for what’s next." ## Products & Services - **Battery Pack Assembly**: Small to medium-scale battery pack assembly that streamlines the path from prototype to full-scale production, enabling faster iteration and secure domestic manufacturing. - **Advanced Hardware Sub-Assemblies**: Rapid construction of complex mechanical assemblies for next-generation and legacy hardware using AI-driven robotic cells, eliminating the need for bespoke factories. - **Defense & Dual-Use Robotics**: Modular robotic cells for defense and dual-use applications that enable rapid assembly of critical infrastructure through secure and resilient American supply chains. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed - **Key Metric**: Total Funding — $19M in seed funding (announced April 2026) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Khosla Ventures, Hanabi Capital, Red Glass Ventures, Zero Shot Fund - **Growth Signals**: The company has grown from 14 employees to over 20 builders in a short period, with a monthly headcount growth rate of +26.7%. It opened its San Francisco HQ in May 2026, just 21 days after the space was still being opened with a sledgehammer. Website traffic is growing +128.4% month-over-month. ## Competitive Advantages - **AI-first, assembly-focused approach**: Unlike traditional contract manufacturers that require bespoke factories, Foundry uses modular, AI-driven robotic cells that can be rapidly reconfigured for different products. - **Dual-use capability**: Serving both defense and commercial applications, which opens up a large addressable market and provides mission-driven work. - **Speed of iteration**: The company can go from prototype to full-scale production faster than traditional manufacturers, as demonstrated by opening its HQ in under a month. - **Team pedigree**: The founding team includes talent from Tesla, Blue Origin, Scale AI, Google DeepMind, and the UPenn GRASP Lab. ## Strategic Focus - **Scaling the engineering and manufacturing platform**: The company is actively hiring across robotics, AI, software, operations, and quality engineering roles to scale its platform. - **Rebuilding American manufacturing**: Foundry is focused on creating a domestic, secure, and resilient supply chain for critical infrastructure, particularly for defense and dual-use applications. - **Rapid iteration and deployment**: The company prioritizes speed, moving from concept to production floor in weeks, not years. ## Why Work Here - **Mission-driven work**: Employees directly contribute to rebuilding American manufacturing and strengthening national security through advanced robotics. - **High-caliber team**: The team includes builders from Tesla, Blue Origin, Scale AI, Google DeepMind, and the UPenn GRASP Lab, offering a steep learning curve and exposure to cutting-edge technology. - **Hybrid workspace**: The company operates a hybrid model with a strong in-office presence at its San Francisco HQ, which includes a factory floor where robots are built and deployed. - **Early-stage impact**: As a seed-stage company, employees have significant ownership and influence over the product, culture, and direction of the company. - **Rapid growth environment**: With a 26.7% monthly headcount growth rate and a focus on scaling, the company offers fast-paced career growth opportunities. ## Sources 1. [foundryrobotics.ai](https://foundryrobotics.ai/) 2. [LinkedIn - Foundry Robotics](https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundry-robotics) 3. [Built In - Foundry Robotics](https://builtin.com/company/foundry-robotics) 4. [Remix Reality - Foundry Robotics Raises $19 Million](https://www.remixreality.com/foundry-robotics-raises-19-million-to-build-ai-first-robotics-for-manufacturing/) 5. [Ashby - Foundry Robotics Careers](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/foundry-robotics) ## Other roles at Foundry Robotics Inc. - [Founding Marketing Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/founding-marketing-lead-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-72p3hewtt90m) — San Francisco, CA - [Network Engineer, Autonomous Factory](https://feeny.ai/job/network-engineer-autonomous-factory-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-d0q4ta3kfnwv) — San Francisco, CA - [Infrastructure Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/infrastructure-engineer-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-jhhav7qbccvg) — San Francisco, CA - [Physical AI Deployment Strategist](https://feeny.ai/job/physical-ai-deployment-strategist-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-zze5bv4das57) — San Francisco, CA - [Head of Security](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-security-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-352vqv4gk28v) — San Francisco, CA - [Head of Talent](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-talent-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-terq8j6fpkkw) — San Francisco, CA - [Senior Robotics Control Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-robotics-control-engineer-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-h08vzav6496s) — San Francisco, CA - [Lead Robotics Platform Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-robotics-platform-engineer-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-xzw9gcg2b008) — San Francisco, CA - [Staff Full-Stack Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-full-stack-software-engineer-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-zaamfcr5f34y) — San Francisco, CA - [Senior Quality Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-quality-engineer-foundry-robotics-inc-san-francisco-r3bjndngc4xy) — San Francisco, CA