Lab Manager - Mechanical, Audio, & Optical

Sesame•San Francisco, CA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

About Sesame Sesame believes in a future where computers are lifelike - with the ability to see, hear, and collaborate with us in ways that feel natural and human. With this vision, we're designing a new kind of computer, focused on making voice agents part of our daily lives. Our team brings together founders from Oculus and Ubiquity6, alongside proven leaders from Meta, Google, and Apple, with deep expertise spanning hardware and software. Join us in shaping a future where computers truly come alive. About the role: Sesame AI is building deeply integrated hardware + AI products and is seeking a hands-on Lab Manager to lead and scale our hardware development environment. This role owns the day-to-day operations of the lab including prototyping equipment operation, equipment uptime, inventory management, safety, vendor coordination, and build logistics enabling engineers to move quickly and efficiently. You’ll work closely with mechanical, audio, vision, and manufacturing teams to support rapid prototyping, bring-up, testing, and early production builds. The ideal candidate thrives in high-ambiguity startup environments, brings strong operational discipline, and enjoys building systems that scale alongside the company.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in consumer electronics or related
On-site role that support hands-on engineering and real-time needs
Understanding of mechanical drawings
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills
Safety conscious, dependable, and positive attitude
Ability and interest to solve problems outside of your expertise

Nice To Haves

Previous startup experience

Responsibilities

Engage and manage fabrication metal/plastic parts for prototypes
Manage lab space, equipment, supplies, and inventory
Keep EE/ME labs fully operational, organized, and ready for daily engineering use.
Own lab equipment uptime and consumables, proactively preventing downtime on high-use tools.
Operate and post-process 3D prints (FDM/resin)
Partner with Facilities and vendors to build, expand, and maintain engineering lab spaces.
Execute lab work with an understanding of engineering intent and downstream impact.
Serve as a responsive point of contact via Slack/email, escalating issues as needed.
Attend meetings and vendor interactions with professionalism, punctuality, and follow-through.
Continuously improve lab workflows based on feedback and hands-on experience