Etched

Lab Operations Manager

San Jose · Staff+

Sponsorship not specifiedDetected 70 days ago

NLPFigmaProject ManagementJiraProcurementInventory ManagementPCB DesignResearchCommunication

About the role

Etched is looking for a Lab Operations Manager to own the day-to-day operational backbone of our Platforms Validation lab. This is a hands-on operational role reporting to the Head of Lab Operations, responsible for everything between hardware arriving at our dock and engineers running it in a rack - board intake and serialization, request tracking and prioritization, rework coordination, physical lab infrastructure, equipment commissioning, inventory management, safety compliance, and end-to-end workflow execution. You will work alongside Lead Technicians and coordinate with Test Operators, Engineering Technicians, Rework Technicians, and Mechanical Technicians, and will interface closely with the Head of Lab Operations and the Head of Platform Validation Engineering to ensure lab operations are aligned with engineering priorities and program schedules.
The ideal candidate has a strong background in lab or infrastructure operations and the operational rigor to build and maintain the systems that keep a fast-moving hardware lab running, including accurate inventory tracking, intake and triage of engineering requests, equipment lifecycle management, and the technical depth to engage meaningfully with hardware validation workflows such as reading schematics, understanding bring-up sequences, and coordinating PCB rework activities.
Etched is looking for a Lab Operations Manager to own the day-to-day operational backbone of our Platforms Validation lab.

Own end-to-end board flow: incoming serialization, rework coordination, mechanical assembly, screening, and rack integration.
Maintain a live status tracker for all boards in-flight across lab stages
Drive rework prioritization in coordination with validation engineers
coordinate rework technicians and interface with rework partners.
Own the intake process for all lab operations requests from engineering - triage, prioritize, and assign work to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
Maintain accurate, real-time tracking of all active requests, board statuses, and task queues using project management tools (Jira, Wrike, or similar).
Relocation support for those moving to San Jose (Santana Row)
Maintain a live status tracker for all boards in-flight across lab stages; communicate status and risks to engineering and program leadership.
Drive rework prioritization in coordination with validation engineers; coordinate rework technicians and interface with rework partners.
Own equipment ordering, shipping, and receiving; negotiate with suppliers and manage vendor relationships.

Working knowledge of lab safety practices, including ESD handling, chemical storage, and general EH&S compliance.
Proficiency with project tracking tools (Jira, spreadsheets, or similar) for status and workflow management.
Experience at a hardware startup where operational processes were built from scratch.
Familiarity with bring-up, validation, or screening workflows for complex PCBs or ASICs.
Proficiency with asset management or inventory tracking software.
Proficiency with Figma, Google Drive, or similar tools for lab documentation and site planning.
Experience with high-tech construction or lab buildout project management.

Medical, dental, and vision packages with generous premium coverage
$500 per month credit for waiving medical benefits
Various wellness benefits covering fitness, mental health, and more
Maintain equipment health, calibration records, and maintenance schedules across the lab.

We are the first inference-focused frontier AI system, betting early on transformer and transformer-like architectures and on increasing model sizes.
We are a fully in-person team in San Jose (Santana Row), and greatly value engineering skills.

This listing is sourced directly from Etched's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.