Fabrication Shop Manager (AI Hardware)

Location: On-site in Bellevue, Washington, United States, with daily hands-on presence in the shop

Salary: $175,000–$280,000 per year

Company

Sesame AI develops deeply integrated hardware and AI products intended to make voice agents part of everyday life.

What you will do

• Design and build a flexible fabrication shop and prototype line, including layout, equipment selection, procurement, utilities, safety, IT, installation, and commissioning.
• Develop, characterize, and document repeatable CNC machining processes for multi-axis metal and plastic parts.
• Create jigs, fixtures, and work instructions, and qualify parts and processes using metrology and CT scanning.
• Run shop operations covering scheduling, job tracking, equipment uptime, maintenance, inventory, consumables, and budget.
• Hire, manage, and grow CNC engineers, operators, technicians, and shop support staff while coordinating external manufacturing vendors.
• Partner with mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, and industrial design engineering on manufacturability, prototype schedules, fit, finish, and dimensional quality.

Requirements

• 12+ years of experience in prototype machine shops, pilot lines, or manufacturing engineering, including at least 3 years managing a shop or team.
• Hands-on mastery of CNC machining, including setup, fixturing, and CAM fundamentals, plus experience with a joining or forming process such as ultrasonic welding, thermoforming, or laser processing.
• Experience standing up or expanding a shop or line, including equipment selection, layout, procurement, and commissioning.
• Strong knowledge of mechanical drawings, GD&T, metrology, plastics, metals, and composites.
• Experience hiring and leading technicians and operators, managing vendors, and owning shop safety programs.
• Must work on-site in Bellevue, Washington, with daily hands-on presence in the shop.

Nice to have

• Experience with eyewear, wearables, or small consumer devices requiring tight cosmetic and dimensional control.
• Experience with Mastercam, Hypermill, Fusion 360, or SolidWorks.
• Familiarity with CT scanning and optical metrology tools such as Lumafield or OGP.
• Experience with injection-molded plastics or cast and machined metal cosmetic parts.
• Experience at a fast-paced startup or early-stage hardware company.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time employee position with stock options.
• 100% employer-paid health, vision, and dental benefits for employees and dependents.
• Unlimited paid time off and sick time.
• 401(k) employer match of up to 3.5% of compensation.
• Medical FSA with employer matching up to $1,650 per year and access to an employee assistance program.