Product Operations Manager, Robotics

RoboForce•Milpitas, CA

3h•Onsite

About The Position

RoboForce is an AI robotics company developing Physical AI–powered Robo-Labor for dull, dirty, and dangerous work. The company’s robots are engineered for demanding industrial environments, with a focus on real-world deployment and scalability. We are seeking a Product Operations Manager, Robotics to manage the day-to-day mechanics of our hardware and software release cycles. In this role, you will build and run the processes that move new features and hardware revisions from engineering into our active fleet. You are responsible for ensuring that every deployment is documented, that hardware and software versions are compatible, and that our field teams have the tools and data they need to keep the fleet running.

Requirements

6–10+ Years of Experience: Direct experience in product operations, technical program management, or systems engineering specifically involving complex field-deployed hardware and software.
Target Industries: Deep experience in Robotics (strongly preferred), Semiconductor Equipment, Industrial Automation, Medical Devices, or Aerospace.
Milestone Facilitation: Proven experience leading and facilitating milestone-based readiness reviews (e.g., PDR/CDR or Stage-Gate processes) where you have successfully aligned cross-functional stakeholders for release.
PLM/BOM Expertise: Hands-on experience managing hardware configurations and engineering changes within Arena, Teamcenter, Propel, or a similar PLM platform.
Jira Proficiency: Ability to build custom workflows, dashboards, and reporting structures in Jira to track complex release cycles.
Data Fluency: Experience using field data (failure rates, logs, repair times) to justify changes in engineering priorities or maintenance schedules.
Technical Writing: Ability to translate complex engineering changes into clear, actionable instructions for field technicians.
Scale Experience: A track record of operating in organizations that have successfully moved through high-volume production and global deployment phases.
Requires 5 days/week in-office collaboration with the teams.

Responsibilities

Execute the Release Process: Manage the step-by-step workflow that moves software and hardware through testing, documentation, and final deployment.
Run Readiness Reviews: Facilitate milestone-based reviews to ensure Engineering, QA, and Field Ops have completed all required testing and technical documentation before a deployment begins.
Maintain Fleet Traceability: Audit and maintain the "As-Built vs. As-Deployed" database. You ensure that we maintain a 1:1 record of every robot's serial number, hardware version, and software state.
Manage Engineering Changes: Coordinate the ECR/ECO (Engineering Change Request/Order) process, tracking the status of hardware retrofits and ensuring field teams have the specific kits and instructions needed for upgrades.
Administer Product Tools: Act as the primary owner for Jira, Arena PLM, and Notion. You will configure workflows, manage permissions, and ensure these tools are correctly utilized by engineering and operations teams.
BOM Management: Audit Bills of Materials (BOMs) for accuracy and completeness. Partner with Manufacturing to ensure the "source of truth" in the PLM system matches what is being built and shipped.
Standardize Documentation: Ensure all releases are accompanied by standardized technical bulletins, updated field manuals, and clear version notes.
Standardize Issue Intake: Build and enforce a structured triage process for field failures. Ensure every escalation includes the required diagnostic logs, photos, and reproducible steps before it reaches engineering.
Monitor Reliability Metrics: Track and report on specific KPIs including MTTR (Mean Time to Repair), MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures), and repeat failure rates.
Serviceability Reviews: Provide formal feedback during the design phase on how to improve the physical serviceability of the robots, focusing on reducing the time and tools required for field repairs.