Robotics Head of Production

Cleo Robotics•Boston, MA

17h

About The Position

Cleo Robotics is seeking a Head of Production to build its production function from the ground up and transform small-batch builds into scalable production. This foundational role owns production end-to-end, including output, quality, cost, delivery, supplier development, and team building. Initially, the Head of Production will be a hands-on builder, personally performing assembly, testing, inventory, and fulfillment while designing the systems, infrastructure, and processes needed to scale. As production grows, the role will shift toward hiring and leading a production team, overseeing and optimizing processes, and maintaining close involvement with hardware to guide builds, train team members, and uphold quality standards.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in hardware production, manufacturing, or complex system assembly.
Experience in 0-to-1 or early-stage production environments, such as robotics, drones, aerospace, or hardware startups.
Strong hands-on building ability, including direct system assembly and troubleshooting.
Comfort working both at the workbench and at the system level.
Advanced experience with electronics assembly, soldering, wiring, and PCBs.
Advanced experience with mechanical assembly and integration.
Strong understanding of production workflows, supply chain and vendor management, inventory systems, and logistics.
Experience implementing manufacturing processes, quality systems, and production-scaling strategies.

Nice To Haves

Experience scaling production from prototype to manufacturing.
Background in drones, robotics, aerospace, or defense hardware.
Interest in building a production system rather than inheriting one.

Responsibilities

Build and validate systems as the initial primary individual contributor, establishing standards for future team members.
Assemble full drone systems and subassemblies with precision and repeatability.
Perform soldering, wiring, integration, calibration, and system bring-up.
Diagnose, troubleshoot, and repair hardware systems.
Support prototype builds and engineering iterations and establish gold-standard builds for replication.
Ensure each shipped system meets performance and reliability standards.
Design and implement the production function, end-to-end workflow, production floor layout, tooling, workstations, assembly processes, and throughput models.
Create scalable work instructions, quality-control checkpoints, build tracking, and traceability systems.
Transition production from prototype builds to low-rate production and scalable manufacturing, introducing lean manufacturing principles.
Create and maintain assembly guides, standard operating procedures, and test and calibration protocols; implement version control for production documentation.
Define and enforce quality standards and testing procedures; build inspection, validation, and failure-analysis processes.
Track production metrics such as yield, defects, and rework, implement continuous-improvement loops, and partner with engineering on reliability and manufacturability.
Own delivery timelines, production output, schedules, and alignment of builds with customer demand and internal priorities.
Identify and resolve bottlenecks, ensure on-time delivery, and improve throughput, yield, cost efficiency, and other key production metrics.
Own inventory systems, demand planning, and material forecasting; manage receiving, storage, and part traceability.
Oversee shipping, logistics, fulfillment, and production readiness of tools, materials, and workspace.
Own supplier relationships and hardware-sourcing strategy; identify, onboard, and manage suppliers and contract manufacturers.
Negotiate pricing, lead times, and supply agreements; ensure component quality, reliability, and availability.
Develop supply-chain redundancy and risk-mitigation strategies; manage inbound logistics and supplier performance.
Collaborate with engineering on design-for-manufacturing decisions.
Hire and train production technicians and specialists, define roles and expectations, and build a culture of quality, ownership, and craftsmanship.
Transition day-to-day build execution to the team while retaining accountability for output, quality, and delivery.
Serve as a bridge between engineering and operations.