Associate Manager, New Product Introduction, Energy Pilot

As an Associate Manager, New Product Introduction (NPI) for Energy Pilot, you will lead NPI operations at Megafactory California (Lathrop) and the Energy Pilot site. You will manage and develop technicians and supervisors, and hold overall accountability for change management: product updates, engineering changes, and new launches into those factories, with minimal disruption to production timelines, quality standards, and operational efficiency. This role sits in Manufacturing/NPI and partners closely with Project Engineers, Technical Program Managers, Quality, Supply Chain, Manufacturing Engineering, and Production. You will spend time on the floor at both sites in Lathrop, owning daily execution (safety, staffing, on-time delivery) and the system of record for trials, cutovers, and launch status.

• Drive production launch activities for new or revised energy storage products into Megafactory California and the Pilot site. Meet or exceed program timing milestones with a "flawless launch" mentality

• Lead the NPI operations team you are appointed to (technicians and supervisors as assigned). Set each person up for success with guidance, coaching, and clear feedback to achieve group goals

• Own resource management for the area of responsibility, including staffing across Megafactory and Pilot as program demand shifts

• Build performance plans for the team and performance-manage individuals accordingly

• Own daily execution on the floor at both sites: safety, quality, staffing, and on-time delivery

• Plan and execute trials and cutovers with Project Engineers and Technical Program Managers. Keep part readiness, line readiness, results, and line recovery in a system of record

• Ensure NPI processes and guidelines are followed. Improve current NPI operations processes and establish new ones as business needs change

• Lead project status and decision-making reviews. Provide clear direction and status to support functions, facilitate key decision forums, and drive results across engineering, supply chain, quality, production, and leadership

• Work with TPMs and Project Engineers to prioritize build plan execution based on business needs, and quickly Pivot if business needs change

• Have an eye for site safety and report issues/near misses before they become an incident

• Degree in Engineering, or equivalent experience

• 10+ years of experience in automotive, high tech, energy, or other high-volume / high-complexity manufacturing in a similar capacity, with demonstrated exceptional ability

• 5+ years of experience directly managing people in manufacturing operations, NPI, or similar capacities

• Production operations knowledge: a firm understanding of how complex production lines operate, including industrial workings between facilities and departments, line balance, OEE, error proofing, and related items

• DFM (design for manufacture): experienced at assessing manufacturability, articulating issues, proposing resolutions, and driving that feedback upstream to root-cause resolution

• Strong knowledge of how material moves through the supply chain and the factory, from order through receipt, pull to the line, consumption, and delivery of the finished product. Understanding of how to structure a configurable manufacturing BOM and associated order structure

• Clear understanding of how the manufacturing validation process runs for new products (methodology, validation plans, associated KPIs), including trials and cutovers, and the ability to develop that process

• Outstanding problem-solving skills, resource-planning judgment, and a working understanding of production line layout, flow, and modeling. Willingness to work on the manufacturing floor

• Experience leading technicians and supervisors across more than one manufacturing site or building

• Energy storage manufacturing NPI (Megapack or similar high-volume energy hardware)

Expected Compensation

$100,800 - $151,200/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits

Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.