SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Etched is building custom hardware for AI inference, co-designing chips, racks, software, and manufacturing to optimize throughput and latency. The company is standing up an in-house prototyping division at its 80,000 sq ft Milpitas facility to enable rapid iteration: a quick-turn machine shop, sheet metal cell, system assembly area, and prototype SMT line.
As Prototype Engineering Lead, you own the end-to-end build-out and operations of this division. Your core mission is enabling any Etched engineer to get prototype parts with same-day or next-day turnaround.
Key responsibilities include:
- Stand up the prototyping division from the ground up: space planning, equipment selection/procurement, facility improvements, permits, and commissioning of all shop areas
- Hire, lead, and develop a team of machinists, fabricators, and assembly technicians
- Run day-to-day operations against the core metric (same-day/next-day turnaround)
- Build operational systems: work intake, prioritization, quoting, scheduling, traceability, inventory, vendor management, and preventive maintenance
- Own division budget (capex/opex), make build-vs-buy decisions, and manage vendor relationships
- Establish quality infrastructure: first-article inspection, calibration, failure-analysis lab, and inspection criteria
- Partner with mechanical, electrical, and thermal engineering teams on design-for-manufacturability and pull schedules
You bring 3+ years in manufacturing/machine shop/hardware prototyping operations, 2+ years directly leading technicians/machinists, and hands-on CNC machining or sheet metal experience. A mechanical, manufacturing, or industrial engineering degree is preferred, or 4+ years professional manufacturing experience.
Ideal candidates have experience standing up machine shops from scratch, working knowledge of 3-axis CNC milling, manual machining, waterjet cutting, press brake forming, welding, and hardware insertion. PCBA/SMT NPI experience, liquid-cooled systems familiarity, California manufacturing compliance knowledge, and startup/program-driven environment experience are strong pluses. The ability to personally operate equipment when needed is valued.
