# Founding Hardware Operations / Technical Program Manager - Company: [Bracket Bot]() - Location: San Francisco - Remote: Yes - Team: Operations - Employment type: Full Time - Posted: January 10, 2026 ## Job description # Founding Hardware Operations / Technical Program Manager **Location:** San Francisco / Hybrid **Type:** Full-time · Founding Team ## About Bracket Bot **Bracket Bot is building low-cost, general-purpose robots that developers can program and deploy in days.** We’re transforming the world’s ~50 million software engineers into robotics engineers by building a full-stack platform—hardware, software, and ML—designed from first principles for performance, usability, and cost. Low expense is a design goal, not a constraint. By transforming commodity, mass-manufactured components through disciplined engineering, we deliver robots that are reliable, high-performance, and inexpensive to build and operate. We believe fewer than 1,000 engineers globally can reason about robotics as a true vertically-integrated system, and we’re assembling a small team of them to build an accessible, developer-first robotics platform. We’re backed by an amazing group of investors, **co-led by Fifty Years (Scott Phoenix)** and **BoxGroup**, with participation from **Betaworks** and **Pace Capital**, plus standout angels including **Logan Kilpatrick** (Google AI), **Mohith Mothukuri** (Physical Intelligence), and **Guillermo Rauch** (CEO of Vercel). Bracket Bot is building a low-expense, high-performance robotics platform ready for real-world deployment. ## About the role As our hardware effort scales, we need a **Founding Hardware Operations** to build the operational backbone behind our robot. This role is about **making hardware real**: sourcing, vendors, procurement, build readiness, and manufacturing execution — while keeping engineering moving fast **without adding process theater**. You’ll partner closely with mechanical and electrical engineers to translate designs into **parts delivered on time**, **builds that stay on schedule**, and a supply chain that supports rapid iteration. ## What you’ll do ### Supplier sourcing + vendor management (core) * Own sourcing across BOM categories (mechanical, electrical, harnessing, motors/actuators, machining, plastics, sheet metal) * Drive supplier discovery, RFQs, quoting, negotiation, and supplier selection * Manage vendor relationships (especially **APAC / China**) and ensure delivery against cost, lead time, and quality targets * Create a repeatable process for vendor tracking, quoting history, and preferred supplier lists ### Procurement + build operations * Own procurement execution: PO flows, lead time tracking, expediting, shipment tracking * Coordinate build readiness: parts arriving, kitting, shortages, substitutions, and reorders * Own build logistics: revisions, part changes, ECO-style updates, and ensuring the right versions show up ### Hardware execution / technical program management * Maintain hardware schedules: dependencies, risks, critical path, and iteration loops * Translate engineering reality into clear execution plans (what’s real / what’s blocked / what ships next) * Run tight cross-functional coordination with Mech / EE / SWE so builds don’t stall ## What we’re looking for * Strong technical background (you can reason about hardware design tradeoffs) * Demonstrated ability to run sourcing + ops across complex electromechanical systems * Supplier / manufacturing fluency: + quoting, lead times, MOQ, quality, substitutions * Extremely organized; high ownership; low ego * EVT → DVT → PVT familiarity * Experience with CM/JDM partners * Robotics / electromechanical background ## Nice to Have * APAC sourcing experience (China vendors) * EVT → DVT → PVT familiarity * Experience with CM/JDM partners * Experience working with robotics or electromechanical BOMs ## Important notes * This role is the operational backbone of the hardware team — done well, it unlocks engineering velocity. * We’re not looking for a paperwork TPM. We’re looking for someone who can **source parts, move vendors, and ship builds**. * You’ll be expected to operate close to the metal: lead times, shortages, substitutions, supplier issues, build readiness. * Comfort with ambiguity is required — priorities shift as hardware evolves. * High-leverage founding role: you’ll define how hardware operations works at Bracket Bot. **Equal Opportunity Employer** Bracket Bot is an equal opportunity employer. We’re building a diverse team and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. ## Apply [Apply on Bracket Bot]() Canonical job page: