Shift Lead, Robot Operations (2nd Shift)

Walden Robotics•Cambridge, MA

15h•$52 - $55•Onsite

About The Position

The Shift Lead runs the evening shift on the robot operations floor, leading operators who collect data to teach general-purpose robots new skills. The role owns the shift from handoff to close, maintaining team safety, robot uptime, and data quality. This is a working leadership position: the Shift Lead operates robots alongside the team, troubleshoots hardware and software issues, and coaches operators on collecting usable data. The role is suited to someone with shift leadership experience on a manufacturing or technical floor who enjoys hands-on problem-solving and contributing to the development of a multi-site robotics operation.

Requirements

At least 4 years of experience in manufacturing, industrial automation, field service, or another hands-on technical operations environment, including experience as a shift lead, shift supervisor, or senior technician.
Hands-on troubleshooting experience with electromechanical equipment; comfort using hand tools and a multimeter; and ability to follow written technical procedures.
Working comfort with Linux command-line basics, reading logs, issue trackers, and shared documentation, and ability to learn internal tools with sparse documentation.
Clear written communication, including shift and bug reports that can be understood and acted upon by someone who was not present.
A track record of enforcing team safety protocols, including stopping work when something is wrong.
Sound judgment about what to resolve during a shift and what to escalate, and a habit of including relevant information when escalating.
Availability Monday to Friday, 2:30 PM to 11:00 PM, onsite in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with flexibility for occasional extended hours.

Nice To Haves

Technician experience with robotic, mechatronic, or industrial automation systems.
Exposure to virtual reality, teleoperation, drones, or other remotely operated platforms.
Experience in data collection, labeling, or quality inspection where consistency of output matters.
Python or Bash scripting experience for diagnostics or simple automation.
First aid and CPR certification.
Demonstrable applied use of AI tools to improve workflows or operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

Run the evening shift against the daily plan, including robot and task assignments, operator rotations, breaks, and scheduled work.
Manage shift handoffs by receiving status from the first shift during the overlap window and submitting a written report at shift close.
Lead pre-shift safety briefings, enforce SOPs and stop-and-flag rules, and act as the first responder and incident reporter.
Perform robot operation tasks and develop proficiency as a Teleoperator through structured training.
Troubleshoot robot hardware and software as the first line of support, run diagnostics, apply documented fixes, and provide clear, reproducible reports when escalating to on-call engineering.
Maintain productivity when a robot goes down by reassigning operators and balancing affected work priorities.
Monitor data quality in real time, ensure collection follows task instructions, identify drift in operator technique, and flag sessions for review or re-collection.
Coach operators on procedures and execution quality, address performance gaps in the moment, and route recurring patterns to team leads.
Collect evening operators' observations and questions and turn them into actionable items for the wider development team.
Identify gaps, ambiguities, and outdated steps in SOPs and checklists, and propose specific changes.
File detailed bug reports and safety issues according to established protocols.
Close the floor each night by storing and charging robots, staging equipment, and preparing the workspace for the morning shift.