Manufacturing Engineer
Company Background:
Specter is creating a software-defined “control plane” for the physical world. We are starting with protecting American businesses by granting them ubiquitous perception over their physical assets.
To do so, we are creating a connected hardware-software ecosystem on top of multi-modal wireless mesh sensing technology. This allows us to drive down the cost and time of deploying sensors by 10x. Our platform will ultimately become the perception engine for a company’s physical footprint, enabling real-time perimeter visibility and autonomous operations management.
Our co-founders Xerxes and Philip are passionate about empowering our partners in the fast-approaching world of physical AI and robotics. We are a small, fast-growing team who hail from Anduril, Tesla, Uber, and the U.S. Special Forces.
Role + Responsibilities:
Specter is hiring a Manufacturing Engineer to bridge the gap between hardware engineering design and scalable production. You will work at the intersection of rapid prototyping, design for manufacturability, and field deployment readiness. This role is critical to ensure our hardware products can transition smoothly from the engineering bench to pilot production and ultimately to commercial-scale deployments.
Potential responsibilities include:
Collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineers to design products that are manufacturable, testable, and reliable
Develop and implement DFM/DFA guidelines and provide feedback early in the design cycle to enable rapid build iterations and downstream scalability
Design and document manufacturing processes, assembly instructions, and work instructions for prototype and pilot builds
Specify, source, and deploy tools, fixtures, and assembly aids to enable fast, repeatable builds
Own the build process for engineering prototypes, including planning, hands-on assembly support, and troubleshooting
Work with supply chain and external manufacturing partners to ensure readiness for NPI builds and eventual ramp to commercial volumes
Drive yield improvement and root-cause analysis for assembly, test, and field failures
Manage and help implement systems for inventory control, traceability, and material flow
Support the rollout and utilization of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and other production tracking tools
Establish and maintain quality processes, including inspection standards, process audits, and documentation for compliance and traceability
Support design transfer activities for moving products from engineering release into production and field deployment
Collaborate on the development of test processes and validation plans for component and system-level verification
Travel as needed to suppliers, contract manufacturers, and deployment sites to support builds and resolve manufacturing issues on the ground
Qualifications:
3+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, process engineering, or hardware NPI, preferably in fast-paced, hardware-focused environments
Experience working hands-on with mechanical and electromechanical assemblies, including troubleshooting, rework, and process improvement
Strong familiarity with DFM/DFA principles and translating engineering designs into scalable manufacturing processes
Experience managing inventory systems, material traceability, and material flow in manufacturing environments
Exposure to implementing or using Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and production tracking tools
Familiarity with establishing and maintaining quality systems (e.g., inspection plans, process audits, CAPA)
Ability to develop and document build processes, work instructions, and quality inspection procedures
Comfortable working in ambiguous, fast-iteration environments where designs change rapidly
Knowledge of tolerance analysis, statistical process control, and basic quality engineering tools
Excellent problem-solving skills and a collaborative mindset
Bonus: experience with ruggedized or mission-critical electronics, automated test development, or hardware deployments in challenging environments