Supplier Development Engineer

Job description

ABOUT BASE Base is America’s next-generation power company. We’re rebuilding the foundation of modern civilization–electricity–by deploying a vast network of distributed batteries that is transforming today’s fragile, centralized grid into a resilient and abundant system. We are engineers, operators, and creatives solving some of the most complex, interdisciplinary challenges of our time. ABOUT THE ROLE We are looking for a Supplier Industrialization Engineer to join our team. Base is an incredibly data driven organization which extends directly into our supply chain. We want to know the efficiencies and deficiencies of our suppliers just as well, if not better, than our own factories. This role focuses on ensuring that suppliers' manufacturing processes are optimized for the production of high-quality, cost-effective products. You will work closely with suppliers and internal teams to drive product and process improvements, manage supply chain issues, and ensure successful integration of new products into mass production. What You'll Do - Ramp supplier lines from early prototyping through full-scale production, ensuring readiness across equipment, staffing, and processes. - Size-up suppliers to see if they are a cultural fit to work with Base on a long-term basis. - Work directly with suppliers to assess, design, and optimize manufacturing processes to meet production requirements. Ensure suppliers are capable of scaling production without compromising quality. - Support the supplier qualification process, including auditing manufacturing facilities, production processes, and quality standards. - Support design for manufacturability reviews in the product design phase as a representative of "the supplier". - Map out the manufacturing process of our suppliers to understand capacity bottlenecks to be ahead of future growth needs. - Evaluate the "should cost" of supplier manufacturing strategies to inform the investment value of Base in our suppliers. What You'll Bring - Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Physics, or a related field. - 3+ years of experience in supplier industrialization, supplier quality, or manufacturing engineering, preferably in the consumer electronics, automotive, or industrial sectors. - Knowledge in multiple manufacturing processes, including injection molding, CNC machining, PCB/PCBA, stamping, and assembly techniques. - Experience in manufacturing line design and capital costs, to evaluate supplier investment strategies. - The ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and meet deadlines - both personally and across your team. - The ability to effectively work with cross-functional teams and suppliers to drive improvements and resolve issues. - Willingness to travel frequently - the most effective supplier relationships are built face-to-face. About this Team Makers of the machines that power tomorrow. The Supplier Industrialization team owns the scaling portion of our supply chain. Our team focuses on how a product can be built, defining the process technology and equipment solutions along the way. We are the feedback loop with the product design team to ensure designs are manufacturable both at cost and scale. The Supplier Industrialization team owns the roadmap of a supplier’s journey from pilot volumes to full-scale production.. Our team sits at the intersection of manufacturing operations and supply chain, responsible for ensuring that Base’s products can be built at scale - without compromising on quality or cost. We work hands-on with a global supply base to qualify suppliers, stand up production lines, and resolve the hard technical problems that arise when moving from prototype to mass production. Our work directly enables Base’s mission by ensuring that every battery system we deploy is built to spec and delivered on time. If you want to own the manufacturing outcome of real hardware at a rapidly growing company, this is the team to join. Please note: Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly. Your role may expand or change based on the needs of the business at any given time, so the responsibilities listed may not be exhaustive. OUR VALUES - First Principles Thinking: Question assumptions. Principles > rules. - Operate at Base Pace: Focus on what matters, act quickly, and learn by doing. - Give & Get Feedback: Be direct, be humble, and maintain a growth mindset. - Everyone’s an Owner: Follow through on commitments and own results. - Strong Opinions, Loosely Held: Drive clarity and make calls with imperfect information. - Committed to the Mission: Rebuilding the grid is a big challenge. We work hard because we care deeply about the impact we’re creating. We work in-person. It’s not a 9-to-5. We are all-in. - Fun & Optimism Coexist with Grit: Collaboration and celebration coincide with the intensity of building real things. DO THE BEST WORK OF YOUR LIFE AT BASE.