Etched.ai · San Francisco
Manufacturing & OperationsProductionFullTimeposted 7mo ago
About Etched
Etched is building hardware for frontier intelligence. We co-design chips, racks, software, and manufacturing to deliver best-in-class throughput and latency across both prefill and decode workloads. Our first products are heavily focused on inference. Backed by hundreds of millions from top-tier investors and staffed by leading engineers, Etched is redefining the infrastructure layer for the fastest growing industry in history.
Job Summary
As Etched scales global deployments of our inference systems, we are seeking an experienced Global Supply Manager to own sourcing and supplier strategy for mechanical components and assemblies, including enclosures, thermal hardware, structural components, racks, and custom fabrication.
You will be responsible for building and managing Etched’s global supply base for critical mechanical systems — ensuring we can deliver high-performance hardware with tight tolerances, aggressive thermal requirements, and rapid production ramps. This is a strategic and highly cross-functional role working closely with mechanical engineering, thermal engineering, and manufacturing operations.
Key Responsibilities
Develop and execute sourcing strategies for mechanical components and assemblies, including sheet metal, CNC machined parts, castings, extrusions, and rack-level enclosures
Build and manage relationships with fabrication partners, contract manufacturers, and integrators across regions
Negotiate pricing, tooling, NREs, and long-term supply agreements for complex mechanical systems
Partner closely with Mechanical and Thermal Engineering teams on design decisions, DFM, material selection, and supplier qualification
Drive cost modeling, should-cost analysis, and benchmarking for fabricated and assembled mechanical components
Ensure suppliers can meet tight tolerances, flatness requirements, cosmetic standards, and thermal/mechanical performance specifications
Identify and mitigate supply risks related to capacity, tooling lead times, yield, and regional concentration
Align sourcing strategies with NPI schedules, product ramps, and datacenter deployment timelines
Support build readiness, pilot builds, and ramp by coordinating closely with manufacturing and program management
Present sourcing strategies, cost tradeoffs, and supply risks to executive leadership
You may be a good fit if you have
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field
7+ years of experience in sourcing or commodity management for mechanical components in hardware systems
Strong understanding of fabrication processes including sheet metal, CNC machining, die casting, extrusion, and finishing processes
Experience working with mechanical engineering teams on DFM, tolerancing, and material selection
Proven track record managing complex supplier relationships and negotiating high-value contracts
Strong analytical skills in cost modeling, should-cost analysis, and BOM evaluation
Experience scaling mechanical supply for NPI and high-volume production
Ability to operate in fast-paced, ambiguous environments and make critical decisions with limited data
Experience managing global suppliers, particularly across Asia
Strong candidates may also have experience with
Experience with datacenter hardware, server enclosures, or rack-level mechanical systems
Familiarity with thermal solutions including heat sinks, cold plates, liquid cooling integration, and airflow management
Experience with precision tolerance stack-ups for high-performance compute systems
Background in tooling strategy and lifecycle management for mechanical parts
Experience working in a high-growth hardware startup environment
Benefits
Medical, dental, and vision packages with generous premium coverage
$500 per month credit for waiving medical benefits
Housing subsidy of $2k per month for those living within walking distance of the office
Relocation support for those moving to San Jose (Santana Row)
Various wellness benefits covering fitness, mental health, and more
Daily lunch + dinner in our office
Unlimited compute budget subject to ROI justification
How we’re different
Etched believes in the Bitter Lesson. We are the first inference-focused frontier AI system. Our addressable market is the entirety of inference, unlike many of our competitors.
We are a fully in-person team in San Jose (Santana Row), and greatly value engineering skills. We do not have boundaries between engineering and research, and we expect all of our technical staff to contribute to both and work across disciplines as needed.