Supply Chain Manager, Robotics Hardware

FieldAI’s Irvine team is where embodied AI meets real robots, real sensors, and real field deployments. Based in the heart of Southern California’s robotics ecosystem, we build risk-aware, reliable, field-ready AI systems that solve the hardest problems in robotics and unlock the full potential of embodied intelligence. If you want your work to ship, get tested on hardware, and improve through real deployments, Irvine is the place. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-only architectures, combining rigorous engineering with learning systems proven in globally deployed solutions that deliver results today and get better every time our robots run in the field. Hardware Team:  The Hardware Team at FieldAI develops perception and compute payloads that power autonomous robotics systems in complex real world environments. Our work spans the full hardware stack — designing and integrating sensing systems (LiDAR, camera, TOF, IMU, GPS), embedded compute (CPUs, GPUs, microcontrollers, Linux, ROS), electrical systems (power distribution, communication), and mechanical components (structures, thermal regulation, ingress protection). The team focuses on both development (research, design, prototyping, testing) and operations (production, testing, QA, debugging). We're a small, fast-moving team, and we care deeply about improving: 1) core capabilities, 2) system reliability, 3) system scalability. As a growing team we are also building operational systems and procedures from the ground up. Supply Chain Manager, Robotics Hardware The Supply Chain Manager will be responsible for ensuring uninterrupted supply continuity across both in-house and outsourced manufacturing operations. This role will drive material planning, supplier performance, production readiness, inventory optimization, and cost management to ensure payloads and systems are built on schedule and meet all downstream demand requirements. The ideal candidate combines strong operational execution with strategic supplier management, excels in fast-paced environments, and has experience supporting complex electromechanical products from prototype through production scale. What You Will Get To Do

1. Supply Continuity & Material Planning

Sourcing & Order Strategy: Determine order quantities and negotiate RFQ/RFP pricing, weigh over-ordering vs. under-ordering risk, and align sourcing timelines with S&OP/demand forecasts and production schedules.

Cost Reduction & Risk Planning: Drive cost reduction through should-cost analysis, BOM cost modeling, and bulk pricing, while managing lead times, safety stock, and second-source strategies against EOL and tariff risk.

Vendor & Manufacturing Relationships: Manage relationships with PCB/board fabrication houses, CNC/machining shops, and contract manufacturers (CM/ODM), spanning small-batch and high-volume production.

RMAs & Supplier Quality: Handle RMAs for defective parts, and support supplier quality (SQE), first-article inspection (FAI), and component qualification processes.

Continuous Improvement: Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on inventory accuracy, supplier performance, forecast accuracy, and operational efficiency.

2. Production & Demand Fulfillment

Throughput Continuity: Ensure payloads, assemblies, and finished systems are built and delivered to meet all downstream demand requirements.

Cross Functional Alignment: Collaborate with Manufacturing, Engineering, Program Management, and Finance to align production plans with forecasted demand.

Scheduling & Prioritizations: Manage production schedules and material allocation during periods of constrained supply.

NPI Support: Support new product introductions (NPI) by ensuring supply chain readiness from prototype through production.

Executive Visibility: Provide supply chain visibility, metrics, and reporting to executive leadership.

3. Asset Management

Chain of Custody: Own chain-of-custody tracking for components, prototypes, and payloads. Recording ownership and location through receiving, integration, and handoff to customers.

Asset Tracking Systems: Implement barcoding and tracking systems for high-value assets and maintain change-tracking systems for Hardware team inventory.

Purchase & Cost Records: Build and maintain systems tracking purchase history (quantities, costs, and rates paid over time) supporting spend analysis, budgets, and procurement KPIs.

What You Have

Education: B.S., M.S., or equivalent experience in Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Business, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

Experience Level: Minimum of 3+ years of hands-on experience in procurement or supply chain management.

Procurement & Supply Chain Experience: Experience in hardware procurement and supply chain management, including strategic sourcing, vendor/supplier selection, and make-vs-buy decisions.

Logistics & Forecasting: Strong understanding of MRP/ERP systems, inventory planning, and demand forecasting.

Vendor Negotiation: Experience negotiating with vendors, fabrication houses (PCB, CNC), and contract manufacturers, including contract terms, SLAs, and pricing agreements.

Asset & Inventory Systems: Strong organizational systems experience such as asset tracking, inventory management, or equipment/asset management at scale, including barcoding and chain-of-custody systems.

Financial Acumen: Comfort with cost modeling, BOM cost analysis, budgeting/forecasting, and total cost of ownership (TCO) evaluations.

Systems Thinking: Ability to work cross-functionally with engineering, finance, and legal to align procurement strategy with product roadmaps.

What Will Set You Apart

Scaling: Experience scaling supply chains from prototype or low-volume production to large-scale, high-volume manufacturing across multiple vendors.

Field Environments: Experience supporting hardware deployed in harsh, diverse industrial field environments such as construction, energy, and mining, across global deployments.

Deployed Robotics: Experience supporting robotics deployed in real world settings such as autonomous vehicles, drones, or ruggedized robots, spanning wheeled, quadruped, or humanoid embodiments.

Systems & Tools: Experience with ERP/MRP or PLM systems, spend analysis, procurement KPI reporting, and cross-functional roadmap alignment.

Legal & Compliance: Experience working directly with Legal on procurement contracts (MSAs, NDAs, IP/liability terms), and familiarity with export controls (ITAR/EAR) and conflict minerals compliance.

Certification: APICS/ASCM, CPSM, or related supply chain certification.

Cross Functional Hardware Knowledge: Familiarity with hardware domains such as mechanical components, electrical systems, sensors, robotics/actuation, LiDAR, or embedded computing.

Our salary range is generous and we consider each individual’s background and experience when determining final compensation. Base pay may vary based on role scope, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and the Irvine, California market.   Why Join FieldAI in Irvine? In Irvine, you will work where the robots are. Our local team builds and tests systems on real hardware with real sensors, then ships them to operate in unstructured, previously unknown environments around the world. We are solving one of robotics’ hardest challenges: reliable deployment outside the lab. Our Field Foundational Models™ raise the bar for perception, planning, localization, and manipulation, with an emphasis on explainability and safety for real-world use. You will collaborate with a world-class team that thrives on creativity, resilience, and bold thinking. We bring deep experience from organizations such as DeepMind, NASA JPL, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tesla Autopilot, Cruise, Zoox, Toyota Research Institute, and SpaceX, along with a track record of field deployments and strong performance in DARPA challenge segments.   Be Part of the Next Robotics Revolution We are looking for builders who want their work to leave the whiteboard and show up on robots. If you enjoy tackling tough, uncharted questions and working across disciplines, you will find your people here. Our teams span AI, software, robotics engineering, product, field deployment, and technical communication, all focused on shipping systems that perform in the real world.   Our headquarters is in Irvine, and we partner closely with teams there as well as colleagues across the US and around the world. Join us in Southern California and help define what dependable, field-ready autonomy looks like.   We value diverse perspectives and are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We evaluate candidates and employees based on merit, qualifications, and performance, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status.