Senior Robotics Systems & Manufacturing Lead

Senior Robotics Systems & Manufacturing Lead

Irvine, California On-site Full-time
As our Robotics Systems & Manufacturing Lead, you'll own the connective tissue between a working prototype and a commercial product. You'll partner with our engineering team to bring structure to system documentation, find the reliability and performance gaps in today's robot, define the requirements for what comes next, and coordinate the external engineering, manufacturing, and supplier partners who help us build it. The role spans systems engineering, product development, manufacturing readiness, supplier management, and hands-on field validation. You'll move fluidly between low-level technical detail, customer needs, field testing, and supplier discussions - often in the same day. You'll thrive here if you're a systems thinker who likes range: someone equally comfortable in a CAD review, on a hotel floor watching a robot work, and across the table from a manufacturing partner.
What you'll do

Own system-level requirements for current and future robotic platforms
Define subsystem specifications and interface requirements
Build and maintain the engineering documentation backbone - architecture descriptions, design records, and technical data
Establish traceability from customer needs to engineering requirements, testing, and product features
Run system-level trade studies and architecture evaluations
Surface performance, reliability, manufacturability, and serviceability gaps in existing systems
Analyze field performance data and drive root-cause analysis on system failures
Work shoulder-to-shoulder with software and robotics engineers during deployments and validation testing
Drive improvements in reliability, maintainability, and operational efficiency
Shape the requirements and design objectives for future product generations
Develop subsystem specifications and RFPs for suppliers and engineering partners
Evaluate and select vendors, suppliers, and manufacturing partners
Support sourcing, procurement, and manufacturing planning
Coordinate external engineering efforts and review partner deliverables
Help stand up manufacturing, quality, and deployment processes for low-volume production
Field Operations
Test and validate robots in live hotel environments
Travel to customer sites, suppliers, and deployment locations as needed
Turn field observations into concrete engineering improvements
What we're looking for

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Robotics, or a related technical field
10+ years developing complex electromechanical systems
Experience across robotics, automation, autonomous vehicles, aerospace, medical devices, or similarly demanding products
A strong systems mindset - you understand how hardware, software, controls, and operations interact
A track record of creating technical specifications, requirements, and engineering documentation
Experience working with suppliers, vendors, or manufacturing partners
Excellent written and verbal communication
Nice to have

Experience taking products from prototype through pilot or production
Hands-on experience with robotics platforms and autonomous systems
Low-volume manufacturing and productization experience
Comfort with CAD and mechanical design review
Reliability engineering, validation testing, and root-cause analysis
Familiarity with ROS, robotic manipulators, mobile robots, or industrial automation
We look for people who are technically strong, intellectually honest, low-ego, direct, collaborative, and willing to test their assumptions in the real world. Go deep, then connect the system. Surface problems early. Own the outcome, not only the task.
Kazvu Labs is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. Where required by law, compensation ranges are provided during the application process.

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