Director of Manufacturing and Quality

Bolt Graphics•Sunnyvale, CA

48d•$200,000 - $250,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting directly to the VP of Manufacturing Operations, the Director of Manufacturing and Quality will hold complete accountability for the global manufacturing strategy, production execution, and end-to-end quality management of Bolt’s hardware portfolio. This leadership role spans the entire product lifecycle—from early NPI (New Product Introduction) and design-for-manufacturability (DFM) reviews to high-volume mass production, factory consolidation, and field quality tracking. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of unifying multi-site manufacturing footprints, establishing overseas extended factories (particularly in Asia), and scaling rigorous Quality Management Systems (QMS). You will lead a cross-functional team of manufacturing, test, and quality engineers to achieve world-class production yields and flawless execution.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive leadership experience in hardware manufacturing operations, NPI, and quality engineering within high-tech electronics, compute hardware, or complex electromechanical industries.
Direct experience establishing and scaling overseas manufacturing facilities/extended factories (particularly in Taiwan, China, or Southeast Asia) and managing Tier-1 EMS/CM partners.
Deep understanding of both Electrical fabrication (SMT lines, PCBA testing, ICT/FCT fixtures, thermal management) and Mechanical processes (precision machining, die-casting, custom tooling, injection molding).
Expert knowledge of advanced quality tools (Six Sigma Black Belt preferred, Lean Manufacturing, SPC, 8D problem solving, FMEA, Gauge R&R).
Extensive experience utilizing PLM (e.g., Arena, Agile), ERP, and manufacturing execution systems (MES) to drive process discipline.
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Ability to travel globally (up to 30-40%) to domestic facilities and international manufacturing sites to lead factory bring-ups, line audits, and critical business reviews.

Nice To Haves

An MS in Engineering or an MBA is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Architect and execute the global manufacturing strategy, including the optimization of domestic facilities and the successful launch and stabilization of overseas extended factories.
Drive the seamless operational handoff of complex hardware products from design engineering into high-volume manufacturing. Establish robust New Product Introduction (NPI) playbooks.
Drive line balancing, automation initiatives, and factory layout designs to optimize throughput, maximize capital expenditure efficiency, and reduce cycle times.
Manage technical execution at tier-1 Contract Manufacturers (CMs) and ODMs. Partner with Supply Chain to hold vendors accountable to strict operational SLAs.
Own, scale, and continuous improve Bolt’s global Quality Management System (QMS) across all manufacturing sites and external partners, ensuring compliance with relevant international standards.
Embed Design for Manufacturability, Assembly, and Test (DFM/DFA/DFT) early in the product development cycle. Implement robust PFMEA (Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) and control plans at all factory levels.
Drive rigorous statistical process control (SPC) on the factory floor. Analyze complex test data to root-cause and eliminate component-level, PCBA-level, and system-level failures.
Lead global failure analysis (FA) and Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) processes for manufacturing escapes and field returns, ensuring engineering feedback loops are closed instantly.
Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing international team of Manufacturing, Test, and Supplier Quality Engineers.
Define, track, and regularly report on mission-critical operational metrics (First Pass Yield, Cost of Poor Quality, OEE, Scrap Rate, and Field Defect Rates) to the VP of Operations and the executive leadership team.