Production and Automation Lead

Bota Systems AG is a Zürich-based ETH spin-off building high-precision 6-axis force-torque, torque and tactile sensors — a sensing platform for physical AI. Robot OEMs, integrators and humanoid companies are moving from pilots to volume, and our production must scale with them.

We are hiring a Production & Automation Lead to turn today's manual cell-based assembly into a scalable, cost-efficient production system across multiple sites.

Your number-one goal is to drive labor cost per unit down as volumes grow — through automation, standardized work instructions and strong production management. You own production cost, capacity and process quality end to end, are as comfortable on the shop floor as in a supplier negotiation, and thrive when priorities shift as the company grows.

• Own labor hours per unit as the core production KPI; measure it, set targets and report on it monthly.
• Automate assembly, calibration and test steps where it reduces labor per unit (fixtures, test rigs, semi-automated and automated stations).
• Write and maintain standardized work instructions so any trained technician hits the same cycle time and quality.
• Run time studies, balance the line and remove waste using lean methods.
• Manage and coach the technician team for output, cross-training and continuous improvement.

• Own the bill-of-materials and unit-cost roadmap; set and hit annual cost-reduction targets.
• Consolidate volumes and secure volume discounts as order quantities grow.
• Feed design-for-manufacturing and design-for-cost recommendations back to R&D.

• Negotiate prices, lead times, MOQs and quality terms with component and machining suppliers.
• Qualify second sources for critical parts to reduce supply risk.
• Track supplier performance (cost, delivery, quality) and run regular reviews.

• Plan production capacity (cells, equipment, people) against the sales forecast.
• Hire, onboard and lead production technicians; build training and work instructions.
• Prepare the rollout of additional production cells and sites.

• Work on the line to understand every assembly, calibration and test step first-hand.
• Identify bottlenecks and automate where it pays off (fixtures, test rigs, semi-automated stations).
• Keep production data and work orders accurate in our ERP (Odoo).

• Align production processes with our quality standards and customer quality agreements.
• Define in-process and final inspection, track yield and scrap, and drive root-cause fixes.
• Support certifications and customer audits as we enter larger accounts.

• Labor hours per unit clearly reduced on our core sensor lines, with the gain coming from automation and standard work, not overtime.
• Standardized work instructions in place for every production step, and new technicians productive within weeks.
• First automated stations live, with stable or improved yield.
• Measurable material-cost reduction backed by renegotiated supplier terms and dual sourcing for critical parts.
• A documented, repeatable production cell ready to be copied to new sites, staffed ahead of demand.

• Degree in mechanical, mechatronics, production or industrial engineering, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years in production, manufacturing engineering or operations for precision electromechanical products.
• Proven record of reducing labor cost per unit through automation, standard work and lean, plus supplier negotiation.
• Hands-on mindset: you build fixtures, troubleshoot assemblies and work alongside technicians.
• Experience leading or coordinating a technical team.
• Fluent English; German is a strong plus.

• Background in sensors, robotics, metrology or medical devices.
• Experience scaling from low-volume to series production, or setting up a new production site.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 / quality management systems, lean and DFM.
• Experience with ERP (ideally Odoo) and CAD (SolidWorks).